Policy Matters

The National 911 Program is very pleased to announce the release of “NG911: A Guide for Leaders in Law Enforcement.”  This publication was designed to reach out to law enforcement leaders and provide information about the transition to NG911 and its specific benefits for the law enforcement community.  Thanks to the generous support of the US DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), it will be received by every police chief and sheriff who subscribes to Police Chief and Sheriff magazines.  

The 16-page publication provides high-level, relevant information about NG911 that will help bring the law enforcement community up to speed on the NG911 transition process and encourage them to participate in activities to support the implementation of NG911.  An online version is available HERE.

NATOA, as part of a coalition of private-sector companies and trade associations, is opposing legislation that would place restrictions on the ability of local communities to build out their own broadband networks.  In a letter sent to Rep. Don Parsons, the chairman of the Georgia House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee, the coalition stated that House Bill 282 “will harm both the public and private sectors, stifle economic growth, prevent the creation or retention of thousands of jobs, hamper work force development, and diminish the quality of life in Georgia.” 

We thank NATOA members Jim Baller and the Georgia Municipal Association for their hard work in opposing this bill.

Click HERE to read the letter.  

FirstNet has announced the structure and membership of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), which will be comprised of 40 representatives of public safety organizations. In establishing the membership of its PSAC, FirstNet decided to leverage the current breadth and depth of knowledge within the SAFECOM program at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is funded and administered by its Office of Emergency Communications, in order to avoid creating an entirely new and potentially duplicative public safety advisory body.

“I’m pleased that FirstNet will be partnering with DHS to enable the PSAC to commence its work advising the FirstNet Board,” said FirstNet Board Chairman Sam Ginn. “We welcome our PSAC’s ongoing input as we continue on this historic journey to build a nationwide public safety broadband network.”

NTIA announced the availability of $121.5 million in grants to assist states as they prepare for a nationwide public safety broadband network. The grants will be available to all 56 states and territories, and will support planning, consultation, education and outreach activities as well as help fund efforts to collect information on infrastructure and equipment that could be used by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) in building a wireless public safety broadband network.