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Wirelessly Securing Communications

NCJ Number
200431
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2003 Pages: 56-60
Author(s)
Stan Johnson
Editor(s)
Ronnie Garrett
Date Published
May 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the use of wireless phones in law enforcement communication enabling the Yuba City Police Department to share information securely and maintain an edge over criminal activity.
Abstract
In order to maintain an edge over criminal activity, equipping law enforcement with the latest technology has become a strategic focus for many law enforcement agencies. However, maintaining that edge means law enforcement communications must be secure. The Yuba City Police Department in California ensured this by becoming the first law enforcement organization to obtain TalkSECURE Wireless phones, protecting their conversations from unintended listeners. These wireless phones enable law enforcement agencies to share information securely within the force and with outside government agencies to solve multi-jurisdictional crimes. The TalkSECURE Wireless is a Motorola Timeport GSM tri-ban cell phone equipped with a clip-in-encryption module allowing officers to make both regular and secure calls from the same phone. TalkSECURE wireless phones assist the Yuba City Police Department in better controlling investigations, particularly drug trafficking, a key reason in the department’s purchase of the secure wireless phones. It is likely that the wireless phone will be the future standard across the law enforcement and government communities.