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The Law Enforcement Take: Winter 2022
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The Law Enforcement Take with Harry Markley
Testing mission-critical tech in the real world
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How do standards-based technologies with Z-Axis and mission-critical Push-To-Talk capabilities work in real-life scenarios? The FirstNet Authority partnered with the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) to conduct a technology trial of FirstNet’s Z-Axis capabilities and Push-To-Talk. I’d like to share the findings with you.
New technologies for better communications
We conducted this technology trial to understand how FirstNet’s services are meeting the needs of the first responders who use them. By putting the technology into the hands of officers on the job, we can evaluate its real-world usability, discover any adjustments needed, and plan for future upgrades.
The two technologies tested were:
- Z-Axis for FirstNet, which can be integrated into an app to show the vertical location of an officer in a multistory building using a sensor built into many smartphones.
- FirstNet Push-To-Talk, a solution that allows officers to use their smartphone to instantaneously communicate with groups or individuals. FirstNet Push-To-Talk has the option to connect with integrated land-mobile radio systems and is built to mission-critical standards.
Real world situations
The sheriffs’ offices that tested the technologies oversee jails where communications can be challenging. While there are ways to improve cellular or Wi-Fi coverage inside jails, they’re not often used because of concerns that prisoners will tap into them for criminal purposes. For similar reasons, some jails don’t allow staff to use cell phones.
Five agencies from MCSA participated in the trial, with teams of up to 10 people that included deputies, supervisors, administrative staff, and court security. The trial continued for two weeks or longer in everyday operations and specific scenarios. We are grateful for the long partnership between the FirstNet Authority and MCSA that presents opportunities like these.
Feedback from the sheriffs’ offices
Every sheriff’s office found FirstNet’s Z-Axis and Push-To-Talk useful to test and saw opportunities to improve daily operations with the technologies. They also evaluated areas to improve usability, new ways to use the technologies, and features that might enhance the value to public safety.
Z-Axis findings
The trial demonstrated that FirstNet’s Z-Axis capability provides critical awareness of an officer’s location. Managers frequently used it to track personnel out of their vehicles and in buildings. Inside jails, Z-Axis was particularly useful when camera coverage wasn’t available.
One agency reported that Z-Axis helped locate a missing device when they feared it had been stolen. In another case, management knew an officer was on the freeway even before getting the report that he was on his way to monitor a prisoner at the hospital.
The testers thought Z-Axis would be especially helpful for:
- Transporting prisoners to court by vehicle or when walking through buildings with underground locations.
- Serving papers to people in apartment buildings.
- Tracking vans for courts, work release, or community work programs.
The sheriffs’ offices also saw opportunities for advancing Z-Axis capabilities. They suggested making the calibration process and frequency more consistent. They saw benefits in keeping track of individual members of a cell extraction team during the sometimes-chaotic process of removing an uncooperative prisoner from a cell.
Push-To-Talk findings
In the trial, FirstNet Push-To-Talk ensured real-time information exchange across the entire team. Personnel were able to report their location for better situational awareness.
In one instance a deputy snapped a photo of contraband without tipping off the inmate and sent it to the investigator, instead of using a separate camera and later downloading the images to a desktop. In other situations, testers used Push-To-Talk to update personnel in the housing section about when incoming inmates were en route.
Testers thought FirstNet Push-To-Talk would be beneficial for:
- Surveillance teams to operate without calling attention to themselves.
- Warrant and intelligence units to discreetly share real-time intelligence across teams while executing outstanding warrants.
- Non-emergency communicators like public works, since 50 smartphones can be purchased for the price of one radio.
In considering opportunities for advancing FirstNet Push-To-Talk, testers emphasized ease of use. As with other communication systems, agencies would like flexible configurations, including who can create talk groups, how long talk groups last, and whether group communications take priority over one-to-one communications. Another desired feature is live video streaming.
Your experience
What is your experience with FirstNet’s Z-Axis capabilities and Push-To-Talk? Send me an email or find me or one of my colleagues at one of these events:
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We’re celebrating 10 years of FirstNet! The legislation that established the FirstNet Authority and FirstNet was signed into law on February 22, 2012. We made a promise to the public safety community to create a nationwide public safety broadband network. Today we’re delivering on that promise.
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Watch this video to see how the public safety community made FirstNet a reality. Learn about the past decade of massive progress for public safety communications and how the first nationwide public safety broadband network was built and deployed.
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Want to see FirstNet’s unique features in action? Check out these live demos of Z-axis for finding the vertical location of responders and priority and preemption for keeping first responders connected during network congestion.
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Hear stories from public safety leaders in our series From the Command Center. In the first installment, Pete Landon, Director of Homeland Security and Chief of Staff for the Governor of Maryland, talks about advancing public safety communications and tools to first responders.
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New FirstNet Authority Board Chair Steve Benjamin, who is the former mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, joins our podcast to talk about his experience supporting public safety services at the city and state levels as a government leader and his goals for the future of FirstNet.
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Tech, Innovations, and Hot Topics in Law Enforcement
Read what we’ve been hearing from public safety in the field about trends and drivers for law enforcement and emergency communications.*
As COVID continues to affect communities throughout the country, law enforcement and other first responders have had to adapt to the new reality. A research study looks at how public safety agencies used technology innovations.
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Using location-based services to locate individual first responders can be absolutely critical in terms of personnel safety and accountability, improved response times, and enhanced operational effectiveness. This demonstration of Z-Axis for FirstNet was recorded live in downtown Chicago using Response for FirstNet application. Watch to see the information displayed on mobile devices and desktop displays, as well as streaming video from the person being tracked.
Watch the video |
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Harry Markley is a Senior Public Safety Advisor and the First Responder Network Authority Law Enforcement Subject Matter Expert. Learn more about Harry or email him with your questions. |
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Top photo: FirstNet is making a difference for law enforcement agencies across the nation—in both daily operations and at big events, whether planned or unplanned. In northern Virginia, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office relies on FirstNet for everyday use, emergencies, and large events. They also partner with other FirstNet users in the region to collaborate on how to best use the network..
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*FirstNet Authority may provide hyperlinks for third-party, non-governmental websites in order to offer additional context and added value for our users. FirstNet Authority does not endorse any product or service and is not responsible, nor can it guarantee the validity or timeliness of the content on hyperlinks outside of the federal government. In addition, users may wish to review privacy notices on non-government sites since their information collection practices may differ from ours.
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