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COPS 2007 Technology Program Advanced Training Workshops. Indiana: Interoperability Over the Long Haul A Plan that Survives Economic Crises and Technology Turmoil. David Smith Indiana Integrated Public Safety Commission. Project Hoosier SAFE-T is….
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COPS 2007 Technology Program Advanced Training Workshops Indiana: Interoperability Over the Long HaulA Plan that Survives Economic Crises and Technology Turmoil David Smith Indiana Integrated Public Safety Commission
Project 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 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 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
Governance • 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 Membership The IPSC is made up of a diverse group of first responders/system stakeholders: • 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 • 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
AdvisoryGroups The Commission relies heavily on several advisory 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)
Funding • 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
Funding • 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 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 Successes • Partnerships • Daily use • Reliability • Savings to state and local taxpayers • Increased public safety
Partnerships • 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-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
Reliability 2008-to-date system statistics • Group Calls = 69,819,217 • Group Busies = 198,385 • Channel Availability = 99.98% • System Availability = 99.95%
Saving 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 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 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 mostglaring 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 Smith Director, Integrated Public Safety Commission 100 N. Senate Avenue, N340 Indianapolis IN 46204 dsmith@ipsc.in.gov www.in.gov/ipsc