I have written the following letter to the powers that be at ISU's public safety department.
If anyone else wishes to comment, they can contact the Office of Public Safety:
pubsafety@indstate.edu
-----
In late May/early June, the Indiana State University Police Department
moved their communications from VHF to an 800MHz system operated by the
City of Terre Haute. The primary purpose of this transition was to place ISUPD’s
communications on the same system as the Terre Haute Police Department. The
primary notion is that this will facilitate better inter-operability between ISUPD
and THPD.
While the goal of interoperability is met, there does exist some disadvantages.
The primary dispatch channel is now digital. That means that it is un-monitor able
by anyone without an ISUPD or THPD radio. This has two notable disadvantages.
The main disadvantage is a lack of interoperability with agencies who only have
VHF capabilities. There are public safety agencies who rely on being able to
monitor the VHF dispatch for interoperability purposes (e.g. ISP). It is a fact that
not all public safety vehicles are equipped with “city” radios.
An argument arises that interoperability channels exist to meet this problem.
However, these interoperability channels do not carry routine dispatch information.
It is the routine dispatch information that most aids sister agencies in lending aid.
The time from direct monitoring of dispatch as compared to relaying information
via an interoperability channel is much shorter.
The second loss of ending VHF dispatch is assistance rendered by the
public. The public is actively able to monitor VHF dispatch and assist officers in
identifying suspects in a pursuit and by staying out of an area in which an emergency
exists. The spirit of building a better relationship between the police
and the public is aided by trust. When the public has access to dispatch communications,
it shows that the police has inherent trust in the public. The public accepts that trust
and feels compelled to respect and aid the police agency. This also provides a
source of access by the news media and press.
Terre Haute Police Chief George Ralston re-instituted a VHF simulcast of
their primary dispatch channel. This was met by the public, the press, and other
public safety agencies with great enthusiasm. THPD still has an option for secure
communications on “tactical” channels if they so need. The VHF simulcast option is
available to ISUPD. The use of this option would help other public safety agencies, the
media, the general public, the ISU community, and ISUPD as well. It also re-enforces
one of the statements of Sir Robert Peel (founder of the modern form of policing): “The
police are the public, and the public are the police.”
Louis A. Reeves, M.S.
Criminology ‘06
If anyone else wishes to comment, they can contact the Office of Public Safety:
pubsafety@indstate.edu
-----
In late May/early June, the Indiana State University Police Department
moved their communications from VHF to an 800MHz system operated by the
City of Terre Haute. The primary purpose of this transition was to place ISUPD’s
communications on the same system as the Terre Haute Police Department. The
primary notion is that this will facilitate better inter-operability between ISUPD
and THPD.
While the goal of interoperability is met, there does exist some disadvantages.
The primary dispatch channel is now digital. That means that it is un-monitor able
by anyone without an ISUPD or THPD radio. This has two notable disadvantages.
The main disadvantage is a lack of interoperability with agencies who only have
VHF capabilities. There are public safety agencies who rely on being able to
monitor the VHF dispatch for interoperability purposes (e.g. ISP). It is a fact that
not all public safety vehicles are equipped with “city” radios.
An argument arises that interoperability channels exist to meet this problem.
However, these interoperability channels do not carry routine dispatch information.
It is the routine dispatch information that most aids sister agencies in lending aid.
The time from direct monitoring of dispatch as compared to relaying information
via an interoperability channel is much shorter.
The second loss of ending VHF dispatch is assistance rendered by the
public. The public is actively able to monitor VHF dispatch and assist officers in
identifying suspects in a pursuit and by staying out of an area in which an emergency
exists. The spirit of building a better relationship between the police
and the public is aided by trust. When the public has access to dispatch communications,
it shows that the police has inherent trust in the public. The public accepts that trust
and feels compelled to respect and aid the police agency. This also provides a
source of access by the news media and press.
Terre Haute Police Chief George Ralston re-instituted a VHF simulcast of
their primary dispatch channel. This was met by the public, the press, and other
public safety agencies with great enthusiasm. THPD still has an option for secure
communications on “tactical” channels if they so need. The VHF simulcast option is
available to ISUPD. The use of this option would help other public safety agencies, the
media, the general public, the ISU community, and ISUPD as well. It also re-enforces
one of the statements of Sir Robert Peel (founder of the modern form of policing): “The
police are the public, and the public are the police.”
Louis A. Reeves, M.S.
Criminology ‘06
