NCJ Number
58684
Journal
Trooper Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 40-44,110-111
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IS OUTLINED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE USE OF EMERGENCY RADIO CHANNELS, THE 911 PHONE NUMBER, AND MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS.
Abstract
THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE (ISP) IS AN ACKNOWLEDGED LEADER IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, HAVING MADE PIONEERING ACHIEVEMENTS THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUBSEQUENTLY ADOPTED. IN 1960, THE ISP DEVELOPED THE COUNTRY'S FIRST STATEWIDE JOINT RADIO NETWORK THAT WOULD MONITOR AND RELAY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. THE NETWORK ASSISTS IN COORDINATING THE ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL POLICE DURING CRIMINAL APPREHENSIONS BY PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONS TO PATROL CARS OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF THEIR REGULAR FREQUENCY. THE ISP WAS THE FIRST DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY TO IMPLEMENT A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AID RADIO SYSTEM WHICH PERMITS CITIZENS TO NOTIFY THE POLICE OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS BY USING CITIZENS' BAND CHANNEL NINE. TROOPERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH ACCIDENT SITES AND APPREHEND DRUNK DRIVERS BECAUSE OF THE RADIO SYSTEM. THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 911 EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER IS BEING EXPANDED TO STATEWIDE COVERAGE THROUGH THE USE OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANSWERING POINTS. FEDERAL GRANTS HAVE FUNDED THE PURCHASE OF A LARGE VAN THAT FUNCTIONS AS A SELF-CONTAINED RADIO CENTER. THE VAN CONTAINS $30,000 WORTH OF COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT AND HAS ITS OWN PORTABLE GENERATOR AND 40-FOOT ANTENNA. ALTHOUGH THE VAN WAS DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS THAT COULD ARISE DURING A POLITICAL DISTURBANCE, IT CAN BE USED DURING NATURAL DISASTERS THAT MIGHT DISRUPT NORMAL COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES. PERSONNEL OPERATING THE RADIOS AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DATA SYSTEM WERE INITIALLY TRAINED UNDER LEAA GRANTS, THE TRAINING PROGRAM IS NOW FUNDED BY THE STATE. THE ISP ANTICIPATES THE PURCHASE OF HAND-HELD RADIOS FOR PATROL PERSONNEL. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).