The 38th Annual Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Training Conference & Technology Exposition kicked off in Atlanta, GA, yesterday. The conference brings together more than 700 chiefs and information technology professionals from law enforcement agencies throughout the nation and other countries. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) hosts this annual event, and they have planned three days of technical, operational, and analytical workshops this year to address pressing issues such as cyber security, social media, and emerging technologies.

I participated on a panel discussion, “The Future of Law Enforcement Communications,” along with three experts on emergency communications, including Harlin McEwen, Chairman of the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) and the Chief of Police (Ret.) for Ithaca, NY; Deputy Chief Eddie Reyes of the Alexandria, VA Police Department; and Inspector (Ret.) Lance Valcour, Chair of the LEIM Board of Officers and a former Executive Director of the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (CITIG).

Our panel discussion covered a number of key initiatives and developments impacting law enforcement communications, including mobile broadband services, Next Generation 911, the harmonization of networks and systems on the northern US border with Canada, and a discussion of how to enhance law enforcement communications. Given my fellow panel members’ background on the issues, I enjoyed hearing their observations and recommendations for how the law enforcement community can integrate and plan for emerging communications technologies, including the nationwide public safety broadband network and Next Generation 911.

During my presentation, I provided an update on several FirstNet initiatives. I explained how FirstNet continues to focus on building the foundation of the organization and implementing our program roadmap. In addition, as part of our efforts to design a strategy for the broadband network, FirstNet is developing processes for both a Comprehensive Network Request for Proposal (RFP) and an RFP for Network Equipment and Services.

I appreciate the feedback I received from panelists and conference attendees. It was great to see Asst. Director Skylor Hearn from Texas DPS and Program Manager Lisa Sutter from the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department. It was nice catching up with Inspector Joanne McCormick from the Vancouver Police Department, who I had gotten to know during the preparations for public safety efforts for the Vancouver Olympics.

Thanks to IACP for inviting FirstNet to participate in this year’s event. IACP is an important member of FirstNet’s PSAC, and we look forward to continuing to work with the association, its members, and the law enforcement community to deploy a nationwide broadband network that delivers the best communications capabilities possible to help law enforcement protect and serve.

-TJ