interoperability over the long haul

Indiana: Interoperability Over Indiana: Interoperability Over the Long Haulthe Long HaulA Plan that Survives Economic Crises and Technology TurmoilA Plan that Survives Economic Crises and Technology Turmoil

COPS 2007

Technology

Program Advanced

Training

Workshops

David Smith

Indiana Integrated Public Safety Commission

2 SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics | www.search.org

ProjectProject Hoosier SAFE-T is… Hoosier SAFE-T is…

• A statewide 800 MHz system available to local, state and federal public safety professionals

• A grassroots system designed by local, county and state first responders/ agencies

• A pragmatic solution for solving the interoperable communications crisis, balancing a critical need for technological advancement with financial reality


SAFE-T System DesignSAFE-T System Design

• Motorola 800 MHz, Multi-zone, multi-site radio network (Smart Zone), automatic roaming site-to-site

• 132+ sites statewide, connected by commercial T1 telephone and State Police microwave system

• Provides both day-to-day interoperable communication, as well as statewide and regional mutual aid talk groups for mission critical needs

• Analog and digital

• Designed and constructed for statewide coverage — 95% of the state’s land mass — Mobile coverage and 95% reliability (portable on the street to the map)


SAFE-T TodaySAFE-T Today

SAFE-T has achieved broad statewide acceptance and continues to grow. Currently has 42,000 registered radio IDs with users from:

• 92 Counties• 17 State Agencies• 64 County Sheriff's Offices• 290 Local Law Enforcement Agencies• 52 Local Emergency Medical Services• 399 Fire Departments/Services• 3 Federal Agencies• 21 School Districts• 68 Hospitals• 29 Universities


SAFE-T System

Map


GovernanceGovernance

• The Integrated Public Safety Commission (IPSC) was created in 1999 (IC 5-26-2) and funded in 2002 to promote “the efficient use of public safety agency resources through improved coordination and cooperation.”

• Its first directive was to create a statewide interoperable voice and data communications system

• A small staff of 10 is responsible for system build-out, day-to-day operations, “customer” relations, and planning for the future


Commission MembershipCommission MembershipThe IPSC is made up of a diverse group of first responders/system stakeholders:

• The Superintendent of the Indiana State Police

• The Special Agent in Charge of the Indiana office of the FBI or designee

• An individual appointed by the Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives

• An individual appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Indiana Senate

• A Sheriff *

• A Chief of Police *

• A Fire Chief *

• An EMS Provider *

• A Mayor *

• A County Commissioner *

• A Representative of Campus Law Enforcement *

• A Representative of the Private Sector ** Appointed by the Governor


AdvisoryAdvisory GroupsGroups

The Commission relies heavily on severaladvisory groups for targeted direction:

• The State Agency Public Safety Committee (SAPSC) and the SAPSC Technical Subcommittee represent the particular needs of the State government

• The Policy Subcommittee develops and recommends operational policies (e.g., talkgroup use, security, database administration, etc.)

• The Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) Executive Committee was established to provide local involvement in drafting and approving the SCIP• The Committee functions as Indiana’s Statewide

Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC)


FundingFunding

• Revenue is generated from a previously existing Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) fee• IC -9-29-3-23 directs $1.25 of certain BMV

transactions to the integrated public safety communications fund

• This fund generates between $13 million to $14 million annually

• Funding source is not affected by economic downturns…completely independent of grants or revenues that go up or down with the economy


FundingFunding

• This state-funded source pays for a portion of system construction, and fully funds operating and maintenance through 2019

• Additional system construction costs were/are generated through grants, partnerships with other agencies, and “Hoosier Notes”

• Final price tag for contracted system construction and implementation: $80,034,000


Local/Agency ResponsibilitiesLocal/Agency Responsibilities

Participating agencies:

• Purchase their own radios and associated user equipment

• Operate under a countywide Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which outlines basic expectations for both agencies and state

• Have a great deal of autonomy on how they use the system

• Pay NO user fees!


SAFE-T SuccessesSAFE-T Successes

• Partnerships

• Daily use

• Reliability

• Savings to state and local taxpayers

• Increased public safety


PartnershipsPartnerships

• End of turf battles• SAFE-T has sparked unprecedented

cooperation between public safety agencies and localities

• Some counties have provided land, tower space

• State Police/Department of Health Bioterrorism


Local Users/Buy-inLocal Users/Buy-in

• Process began back in late ’90s. Series of statewide first responder summits — user-designed system

• SAFE-T is the primary (daily) communications system for hundreds of Indiana first responder agencies at the local, state and federal levels• Daily use of the system ensures that

interoperable communications will be “second nature” during critical events

• Other agencies, by choice or necessity, remain on legacy VHF and UHF systems, but have radios programmed to use SAFE-T’s mutual aid channels


ReliabilityReliability

2008-to-date system statistics

• Group Calls = 69,819,217

• Group Busies = 198,385

• Channel Availability = 99.98%

• System Availability = 99.95%


Saving MoneySaving Money

• Local agencies use and operate on the system for free. The Indiana “no user fee” policy is unique among the country’s statewide systems

• Local users do not pay site construction and maintenance costs

• They can take advantage of the state’s QPA agreement to save 25% on the purchase of radios and other equipment needed to interoperate on the system


Saving MoneySaving Money

Frugal mindset:• Leasing towers rather than constructing

from the ground up

• Partnering with local governments for use of their compound facilities and tower

• Creatively seeking funding, including Federal grants and Homeland Security funds

• Re-engineering the original 187-site plan to a 126-site plan


Increased Public SafetyIncreased Public Safety

At the end of the day, the ultimate test of Project Hoosier SAFE-T lies in whether it works


“After each major [catastrophic] event in recent history, the most

glaring indication of success or failure by responding agencies

has been their ability to effectively communicate

with each other.”

International Association of Chiefs of Police:“Leading from the Front” page 9


Thank You

Questions?

Dave SmithDirector, Integrated Public Safety Commission

100 N. Senate Avenue, N340

Indianapolis IN 46204

[email protected]

www.in.gov/ipsc

interoperability over the long haul

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