NCJ Number
47053
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 47 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 16-20
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF SPECIAL MOBILE AUTOMATED REMOTE TERMINALS (SMART) IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
IN ANTICIPATION OF THE DIMINUTION OF AVAILABLE FREQUENCIES IN THE 460 MEGAHERTZ RANGE, SMART WAS DEVELOPED AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NONVOICE DIGITAL TRANSMISSION IN THE 900 MEGAHERTZ RANGE (WHICH REQUIRED NO DISPATCHER INTERVENTION) WOULD BE FEASIBLE. THE SMART SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF A VEHICLE-MOUNTED COMPUTER TERMINAL, A LOGIC UNIT, AND A RADIO TRANSMITTER WITH RECEIVER SITES LOCATED ON TOP OF SEVERAL OF CHICAGO'S TALLEST BUILDINGS, AT THE CENTRAL POLICE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, A SMALL COMPUTER ACTS AS A MESSAGE SWITCH, ROUTING INQUIRIES TO THE LOCAL DATA BASE, WHICH IN TURN ROUTES THE INQUIRY TO STATE DATA BANKS AND THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (NCIC). IT RETURNS RESPONSES TO THE INQUIRING TERMINAL, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY DETERMINING CHANNEL ASSIGNMENTS AND KEEPING TRANSMISSION TRAFFIC BALANCED. THE CHICAGO SYSTEM IS OPERATING AT 25 PERCENT OF ITS PLANNED CAPACITY WITH 54 VEHICLES. IN THE FUTURE, THE DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATES A TOTAL OF 216 UNITS; AT FULL STRENGTH, ALL VEHICLES WHICH OPERATE 24-HOURS A DAY IN THE PATROL FORCES AND SELECTED INVESTIGATIVE VEHICLES WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH TERMINALS. THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED APPLICATION OF THE SYSTEM IS IN LICENSE AND REGISTRATION CHECKS OF ROUTINE OR SUSPICIOUS TRAFFIC INCIDENTS. THROUGH THE TERMINAL, IMMEDIATE ACCESS CAN BE GAINED TO INFORMATION REGARDING VEHICLES, THEIR REGISTERED OWNERS, OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, AND REPORTED THEFTS. MOTIVATED OFFICERS WHO CHALLENGE LARGE NUMBERS OF PERSONS ON THE STREET ARE FREQUENTLY STYMIED IN MAKING CHECKS FOR WANTS OR WARRANTS, ESPECIALLY DURING HOURS OF PEAK ACTIVITY, AND OFTEN FIND IT NECESSARY TO REFRAIN FROM REQUESTING NAME OR REGISTRATION CHECKS. THIS OFTEN RESULTS IN A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE DISPATCHERS AND THE FIELD OFFICERS. DISPATCHERS PERCEIVE THE NECESSITY OF PREVENTING DISPATCH BACKLOGS, WHILE STREET OFFICERS ARE PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN INDICATORS OF PRODUCTIVITY, SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF STREET CHALLENGES LEADING TO ARRESTS. THE VEHICLE-MOUNTED TERMINAL HAS RESOLVED THIS CONFLICT. ADDITIONALLY, THE SYSTEM ALLOWS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VEHICLES, INDEPENDENT OF THE VOICE CHANNEL DISPATCHERS. THE MESSAGES ARE TRANSMITTED IN HEXADECIMAL FORM ON A MUCH HIGHER FREQUENCY RANGE, MINIMIZING THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERCEPTION. EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF INTERCEPTING AND DECODING DIGITAL MESSAGES IS VERY COSTLY, FURTHER REDUCING THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERCEPTION AND PROVIDING SECURITY OF TACTICAL UNDERCOVER OR SURVEILLANCE COMMUNICATIONS. TABULAR DATA ON THE FUNCTIONAL SUCCESS OF THE CHICAGO SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)