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Deputy Chief (Ret.)
Mike Bostic, of Raytheon Corp.'s Civil Communication Solutions group, specializes in open architecture, systems integration of communications and data programs. Mike spent 34 years with the LAPD, holding commands from communications and information technology to assistant chief. He was also a member of several LAPD steering committees, overseeing IT and facility development as well as the SWAT Board of Inquiry, which developed new command and control systems.
Technology is never the limiting factor—capable systems exist now. Systems integration and cost planning must be well thought out to bring it to officers on the streets.
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As systems integration shifts competition among handset manufacturers, we can also expect to see handset capabilities expand. Cell phones run circles around a police radio for about 5 percent of the cost.
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Imagine a 10-officer team staking out a group of suspects from several locations simultaneously. Now, imagine the supervisor and team can observe each others' movements, simultaneously communicate via text message and call up a map of an entire building that suspects are about to enter.
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I can't begin to count the times police and fire personnel have asked me why their cell phones have thousands of applications, yet their radios have none. The simple answer is that we, as public safety professionals, have not required it.
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At a recent trade show, I spoke with many in law enforcement about reliance on radio towers for data systems. Based on my experience with radio systems in use by the military for more than a decade, I suggested we don't really need "towers" as public safety knows them today.
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