NCJ Number
59474
Date Published
1978
Length
39 pages
Annotation
OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE EXPERIENCES OF THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE USES OF THE 900MHZ RADIO SYSTEM AS A PORTION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATIONS SPECTRUM ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF CHICAGO, ILL., MIAMI, FLA., AND ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF., TO DETERMINE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH 900 MHZ COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, WHICH THEY HAD BEEN USING EXPERIMENTALLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE SYSTEMS ANALYZED CONSTITUTE THREE DIFFERENT USES OF THE 900 MHZ PORTION OF THE SPECTRUM. THE CHICAGO SYSTEM IS A 5-CHANNEL MOBILE DATA INFORMATION SYSTEM USED TO COMMUNICATE WITH MOBILE DIGITAL TERMINALS IN POLICE VEHICLES. THE MIAMI SYSTEM IS A SINGLE CHANNEL, ADMINISTRATIVE TELEPHONE NETWORK USED PRIMARILY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE JURISDICTION SERVED. THE ORANGE COUNTY SYSTEM IS A SINGLE CHANNEL NETWORK USED FOR MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY PERSONNEL OF THE THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENTS. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 900MHZ PORTION OF THE SPECTRUM ARE SUITABLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS. EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH THOSE OF EQUIPMENT LONG IN USE IN THE LOWER BANDS; PRICE DIFFERENTIALS, WHERE THEY EXIST, MAY BE JUSTIFIED BY THE INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF CHANNELS. SAMPLES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES USED IN THE STUDY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)