NCJ Number
63242
Date Published
Unknown
Length
67 pages
Annotation
COMMON PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN COMMUNICATION-RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES ARE IDENTIFIED AND SOLUTIONS RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
THE COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS DESCRIBED WERE DERIVED FROM 55 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TASKS. THE TOP 3 OF THE 10 PROBLEM AREAS DISCERNED WERE DIFFICULTIES RELATING TO SYSTEM DESIGN, SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT, AND DISPATCHER TRAINING. SYSTEM DESIGN DIFFICULTIES WERE OFTEN THE RESULT OF IMPROPER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES. SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS ARE USUALLY RELATED TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FREQUENCIES WITHIN COMPATIBLE FREQUENCY BANDS. WHILE ALLEVIATION OF THIS PROBLEM ON A LONG-TERM BASIS MUST COME FROM THE PROVISION OF MORE FREQUENCIES, EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING FREQUENCIES CAN BE IMPROVED BY FULLER USE OF APPROPRIATE FREQUENCY COORDINATORS. PROBLEMS IN DISPATCHER TRAINING ARE RELATED TO LIMITED RESOURCES, THE PERSONNEL TURNOVER RATE, AND INADEQUATE TRAINING FACILITIES. ALL THREE PROBLEM AREAS ARE AGGRAVATED BY AN IGNORANCE OF BASIC COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS OPERATIONS ON THE PART OF SENIOR AND MIDDLE-MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. A SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION BE PREPARED FOR MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WHICH WILL INSTILL BASIC CONCEPTS OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT, AND REGULATORY CONTROL. THIS COURSE WOULD BE PART OF THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. THE APPENDIXES LIST AGENCIES REQUESTING ASSOCIATED PUBLIC-SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, INC., TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (SEPTEMBER 1978-1979), A SAMPLE ADVISER QUESTIONNAIRE, SAMPLE TASK ASSIGNMENT FORMS, AND EXTRACTS FROM THE ADVISOR MANUAL. A GLOSSARY OF TERMS IS INCLUDED. (RCB)