State Takes Steps Toward Upgraded Communications System
The state of Kansas has begun a project to integrate communications among law enforcement officers and other emergency responders throughout the state. This would allow police officers, firefighters, and ambulance drivers to directly communicate without worrying about system conflicts.
The $16 million project, financed by federal grants and state transportation funds, will help local governments build towers to link communication systems from different counties and the state government.
The Kansas Department of Transportation will lease the towers to private communications companies in order to foot part of the state’s bill for providing tower space, and the money will be funneled back into new communications equipment purchases by county agencies.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also recently approved an executive order calling for the deployment of the National Incident Management System, which would give all agencies a common event response lexicon.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Associated Press (06/01/05); Milburn, John .