Communication Problems at Supermax

[jimmnn]

FLORENCE - Supermax, the nation's highest-security prison, has no radio communication with local law enforcement and firefighters in case of an attack, an escape or other emergency, local officials told Sen. Wayne Allard on Monday.

http://tinyurl.com/y8drkb

Jim<

 

[n0doz]

The way most fed agencies do everything by Nextel, I'm not surprised.
Wonder if the locals offered to put the prison on their local systems, if they're so concerned? Heck of a lot faster solution than waiting for the fed bureacracy to do something.

 

[firescannerbob]

The Feds (such as all the military installations around here) tend to use 400mhz trunked systems, which aren't compatible with much of anything. I doubt the locals could just "put the prison on their local systems". Some agencies in Fremont County are on DTRS, and some still reside on conventional VHF.

 

[jimmnn]

The Feds (such as all the military installations around here) tend to use 400mhz trunked systems, which aren't compatible with much of anything. I doubt the locals could just "put the prison on their local systems". Some agencies in Fremont County are on DTRS, and some still reside on conventional VHF.

And the supermax is on DTRS.

Jim<

 

[firescannerbob]

And the supermax is on DTRS.

Jim<

The Supermax is federal, and there is also a state prison there. I'm sure the state prison is on DTRS, but I'm pretty sure the federal prison is not.
Allard and Salazar would only be getting involved in the federal prison since they are US Senators, and that would fall under their authority.

 

[datainmotion]

The Feds (such as all the military installations around here) tend to use 400mhz trunked systems, which aren't compatible with much of anything. I doubt the locals could just "put the prison on their local systems". Some agencies in Fremont County are on DTRS, and some still reside on conventional VHF.

The USAFA has a link to communicate between their 400 DTRS and the states DTRS.

 

[n0doz]

What I meant was...
Give the feds a radio for the prison control center. They only need one to let the locals know Osama's cousin jumped the fence....

 

[lostguy]

The Federal Prison complex is on the UHF trunking system, all of the State prison facilities in Canon is dtrs with exception of the Territorial facility on the west end of town. Kind of strange that this has come up now, there never has been any communication the Federal facilities and the surronding agencies. Communication between the different agencies is pretty bad ever since Fremont County SO has been being dispatched by Florence PD instead of Canon City PD.

 

[firescannerbob]

The USAFA has a link to communicate between their 400 DTRS and the states DTRS.

Wonder who they're talking to. since I monitor them and never hear DTRS on their TG's and never hear them on DTRS. This comes as news to me.
They DO have a couple of TG's from the El Paso County/Colorado Springs system patched onto a few of their TG's, but it's one-way only (they can, and do, monitor the EPSO, and county fire RED), but they do not at all talk on the county system. They may have a similar monitoring system for the DTRS, but I've never heard it.

 

[firescannerbob]

What I meant was...
Give the feds a radio for the prison control center. They only need one to let the locals know Osama's cousin jumped the fence....

Thats kinda what I thought you meant. You'd think they could come up with such a simple idea without getting a couple of senators involved. Would just take someone saying "heres one of our radios. Let us know if someone escapes". Some bureaucrats live on red tape.

 

[n0doz]

Thats kinda what I thought you meant. You'd think they could come up with such a simple idea without getting a couple of senators involved. Would just take someone saying "heres one of our radios. Let us know if someone escapes". Some bureaucrats live on red tape.

Zactly. You know how this works? First, the Senators ask Bureau of Prisons to find a way to communicate with the locals. Then they do a year-long study of the problem and all possible solutions. Then there's the environmental impact study. If the studies conclude that adding a radio is advisable and won't damage the ozone layer, the BoP will ask for an appropriation for the next fiscal year, which should get a radio in there by late 2009. BTW, the process costs about 2.3 million dollars.
Or the state could just loan them an HT with charger.....

 

[jhooten]

First the institution must ask the local agency for permission to use their frequencies and recieve a letter from the CLEO with the exact frequenies they are allowed to use and how many units they may use.

Then a request must be sent to the BOP Central Office requesting authorization to to use the frequencies. This can take a long tome to get approved.

Then the radio equipment must be purchased/programmed/installed. We all know how th goverment procurement process works.

Then a MOU must be signed between the CLEO and the Warden outlining under what circumstances the radios may be used.

Through in a few more hoops to jump through and you get the jist of the process.

 

[firescannerbob]

First the institution must ask the local agency for permission to use their frequencies and recieve a letter from the CLEO with the exact frequenies they are allowed to use and how many units they may use.

Then a request must be sent to the BOP Central Office requesting authorization to to use the frequencies. This can take a long tome to get approved.

Then the radio equipment must be purchased/programmed/installed. We all know how th goverment procurement process works.

Then a MOU must be signed between the CLEO and the Warden outlining under what circumstances the radios may be used.

Through in a few more hoops to jump through and you get the jist of the process.

Thats true if they buy their own radio. On the other hand, if one agency "lends" another agency a radio, all is fine with the world. Happens all the time.

 

[datainmotion]

Wonder who they're talking to. since I monitor them and never hear DTRS on their TG's and never hear them on DTRS. This comes as news to me.
They DO have a couple of TG's from the El Paso County/Colorado Springs system patched onto a few of their TG's, but it's one-way only (they can, and do, monitor the EPSO, and county fire RED), but they do not at all talk on the county system. They may have a similar monitoring system for the DTRS, but I've never heard it.

I was in the SF HQ years ago and they had a Mot W5 Astro on the console with CSP Dist 2 traffic on it. Maybe they just listen for accidents on I-25, who knows? I just assumed it was one of theirs, but maybe it was on loan from the state.

 

[jhooten]

Thats true if they buy their own radio. On the other hand, if one agency "lends" another agency a radio, all is fine with the world. Happens all the time.

Even if the county "lends" a radio to the BOP facility the MOUs and Central office approval is still required. Oh, and don't even suggest that it may be a good idea to give the SO a talk group on the facilitiy TRS.

And I won't even bring up the BOP to USM or FBI interoperability issues.

 

[firescannerbob]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the locals get access to the Fed system, but just the opposite.

 

[jimmnn]

Featured this week in Time Magazine

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1555145,00.html

Jim<

 

[jhooten]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the locals get access to the Fed system, but just the opposite.

One Sheriff's reply was I'll give you access and radios for my system only if you do the same for me.

 

[firescannerbob]

One Sheriff's reply was I'll give you access and radios for my system only if you do the same for me.

Ah...don't think that'll ever happen. The Feds are pretty much "one way" with these things.

 

[rfburns]

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has begun hiring new staff in response to security concerns at the Supermax prison in Florence, Sen. Wayne Allard said Thursday. Allard, a Colorado Republican, met with the bureau’s director, Harley Lappin, Thursday. He later said the agency is committed to addressing concerns raised in two recent reports about the highest security prison in the nation. The prison has hired 11 correctional officers since August and will have seven more before the end of November, Allard said.

http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1326372