Interoperable Communications for Public Safety Agencies

Project Summary for Grant 2001-MU-MU-K017 This project addresses voice communications interoperability across agency and/or jurisdictional boundaries for public safety agencies in Texas. The large geographical area of Texas includes diverse topography and population regions that contribute to the inability of agencies to communicate with each other. This award will cover the cost of gathering information to provide a conceptual design that will maximize communications interoperability for Texas public safety providers and meet their critical communications needs. The Sheriffs' Association of Texas (SAT) will confer with state and local agencies and their associations to develop a database of existing communications resources, along with current and future requirements. The analysis af this database will be conducted with the assistance of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) and will provide recommendations that wil accomodate the communications needs of all public safety providers in the state. The three main goals of the project are: design a technical concept that will maximize communications interoperability for public safety providers in Texas, provide a conceptual design for a communicationstechnology system, and develop an inventory od existing County Sheriffs= radio system resources.