NCJ Number
235951
Date Published
February 2011
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report presents information on the consensus reached by participants at the National Forum on Public Safety Broadband Needs, held in Washington, DC, August 19-20, 2010, in order to identify, discuss, and develop solutions and recommendations that will reflect the public-safety community's operational and business requirements for a National Public Safety Broadband Network.
Abstract
A public safety broadband is a high-speed, large-capacity, resilient, affordable, and open standards-based capability to share tactical, operational, and strategic public safety voice and information in a seamless and secure mobile environment. The forum provided an opportunity for discussion, consensus building, and actionable outcomes that will help shape the direction of national broadband for the Nation's public safety community. The forum produced a unique perspective on this issue from the line officers/first responders in the field who are familiar with the operational requirements of their respective agencies. In addition to stakeholders and representatives of the associations/working groups already participating in the national broadband debate, the forum participants also included practitioners directly involved in daily operations of public safety communications who had not previously been engaged in the discussion. The forum was not intended to be a discussion of the technical elements of broadband; rather, the focus was on public safety's operational requirements for voice and information sharing that will ultimately drive the technical elements of the broadband network. This report's outline of the forum's consensus on the operational requirements for the National Public Safety Broadband Network consists of overarching statements supported by examples that illustrate their intention and meaning. Neither the statement nor examples are intended to be all-inclusive. A forum participant roster is included.