Updated radio technology eases communication for UA officers
Posted on Friday, December 12, 2008
ANTHONY REYES Northwest Arkansas Times Joseph Smith, public safety dispatcher for the University of Arkansas Police Department, works at one of the new communications stations at the department's headquarters in Fayetteville. The station has undergone a series of upgrades to improve the department's communications.
New radio equipment for University of Arkansas police will enhance response capabilities across campus.
UA Police Department Lt. Gary Crain said the department replaced its conventional radio system with "trunking" technology. The new system expands the range of direct communication for patrol via common radio channels.
"The equipment we had before was ancient," Crain said. "They don't even manufacture the parts for it anymore."
In a trunking radio system, users share a pool of frequencies, depending on the size and number of users. Users are assigned a "group ID," and field radios are programmed to pick up all transmissions for that group.
Conventional radio systems use a frequency for each channel of communication. To hear transmissions, users must have the specific frequency for that channel programmed into their radio.
"We've been talking about doing this since 1998, but we never had the money for it," Crain said. "We finally got serious about it in 2005."
The $1.3 million project was funded by the UA.
The design for the new system was completed in April 2005. The contract to replace the conventional system was signed in January.
As part of the system update, officers received handheld and in-car radios that operate off a 150-foot radio tower located behind the Police Department. Renovations to the UAPD dispatch division complement the new system with updated computer and mapping technology. An emergency generator was also installed to enhance radio communication with residence halls.
"Having direct communication is monumental, especially if the cell towers go down," said UAPD Director Steve Gahagans. "The new system also has (Arkansas Wireless Information Network) capabilities so we can coordinate with other local emergency management."
According to it's Web site, the Arkansas Wireless Information Network was developed as the state's solution to the radio problems encountered during the Sept. 11 attack in New York City. The radio system allows direct communication between state agencies, including Arkansas State Police, emergency management and the National Guard.
"Just because we have access to statewide communication doesn't mean we'll use it all the time," Crain said. "The main purpose for the new system is so all the departments on campus can communicate with each other. Communication is vital to any emergency service."
Crain said officers initially tested the new system in August, during the first Razorback football game of the year.
"I had a fan ask me when the next shuttle to the baseball field would arrive," he said. "All I had to do was use my radio to contact the transportation division. It was so much more convenient."
In the past, Crain said officers often had to use cell phones to communicate during Razorback events.
"They bring in extra cell towers for all the Razorback games, but sometimes it's still not enough," he said. "When you have that many people in one place, it's hard to get through. The new radios allow us to communicate without interfering."
Parking and transit, facilities management, student affairs, housing, and athletics are among the UA departments that will benefit from the new trunking system. Though some departments have already purchased new radios, other campus groups will meet system requirements during scheduled equipment upgrades.
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