Kansas Highway Patrol Radio Upgrades

[KAA951]

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) recently was awarded around $15 million to replace all their portable and mobile radios. In addition, the funds will pay for upgrades to tower sites and replacement of all the consoles in KHP’s Central Dispatch center in Salina.

The new radios and equipment will support the Motorola Next technology, which is supposed to seamlessly switch the radio between the statewide system and FirstNet LTE depending on which provides the best coverage. The system will also allow the radios to be re-programmed remotely, encryption rekeyed remotely, and will all include AES level encryption.

 

[kcscan6]

Are they moving to full encryption on all talkgroups or just adding AES capabilties to their radios?

 

[mwjones]

Are they moving to full encryption on all talkgroups or just adding AES capabilties to their radios?

This purchase only upgrades the hardware to support encryption, it does not mean that they will be encrypting, nor does it mean that they will encrypt everything if they do.

It likely does mean that some talkgroups will move to Phase 2 (TDMA) to make more efficient use of the system - but again that doesn't mean encryption, as older radios are typically the holdback that forces the system to keep them in Phase 1 mode. All that means for us is those older Phase 1 only scanners may go deaf, but Phase 2 capable scanners will keep going without missing a beat.

 

[kcscan6]

This purchase only upgrades the hardware to support encryption, it does not mean that they will be encrypting, nor does it mean that they will encrypt everything if they do.

It likely does mean that some talkgroups will move to Phase 2 (TDMA) to make more efficient use of the system - but again that doesn't mean encryption, as older radios are typically the holdback that forces the system to keep them in Phase 1 mode. All that means for us is those older Phase 1 only scanners may go deaf, but Phase 2 capable scanners will keep going without missing a beat.

Makes sense. Most agencies are still using XTS/XTL radios on the system. If memory serves, there’s only two agencies using Phase II. Ford County/Dodge City being one. I can’t remember which other county is Phase 2.

 

[KAA951]

Are they moving to full encryption on all talkgroups or just adding AES capabilties to their radios?

KHP works with too many other agencies to encrypt their primary talk groups. It would cause mayhem. However, anything that was ADP before will be AES encryption and they are adding encrypted law enforcement mutual aid talkgroups in each troop for multi-agency manhunts etc.

 

[kcscan6]

KHP works with too many other agencies to encrypt their primary talk groups. It would cause mayhem. However, anything that was ADP before will be AES encryption and they are adding encrypted law enforcement mutual aid talkgroups in each troop for multi-agency manhunts etc.

That’s becoming the norm with AES. I think there was a DHS memo that went out saying that all police agencies were required to have AES capabilities by a certain deadline. If memory serves, the mandate had something to do with the amount of grant money an agency receives. If they decided to stick with older algos such as ADP or DES, they would continue to receive grant money, however, the dollar amount would be less.

Nothing in that memo stated that LE agencies are required to fully encrypt their communications (that’s discretionary of course). The only requirement was to have AES **capability**. I’ll have to go back and find the memo and look it over again.