Tetra boosts police capability

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer

Johannesburg, 31 Oct 2007

The police`s new digital terrestrial trunked radio (Tetra) system takes law enforcement out of the realm of voice-only communications and into the world of data, says Altech CEO Craig Venter.

The Altech-installed computer-based Tetra network, which by mid-December will manage police deployments across Gauteng, assures police secure access to the basic network and the various platforms available.

Venter says the technology is more than a two-way radio. Tetra provides advanced functions, including group emergency calls and private calls. It also functions as a telephone where authorised, meaning the system allows complainants calling a 10111 centre to speak directly to the officer in the field responding to the call.

"The new SAPS system is a giant step in support of police operations and will be a major contributor in fighting crime in our country," Venter adds.

Other capabilities include "group-call", which allows all officers in a team to participate in any communications initiated within the group, or by the 10111 dispatcher.

The system can also prioritise radio traffic. An emergency facility allows a police officer to communicate notwithstanding a busy network. Should all resources be busy, the system will evaluate and allocate priority access to the emergency call.

Should an officer not be able to speak, a dispatcher can remotely monitor what is happening at the radio`s location. Individual calling provides secure private communication among supervisory staff and commanders without others monitoring the conversation.

SMS over radio

A further Tetra functionality is a messaging service similar to SMS on GSM networks. In addition to free form messages, it provides for pre-programmed status messages that can be sent at the push of a button.

The Motorola Tetra radios have the ability to communicate with each other even when a system network is unavailable via direct mode operation. Other applications can be added in the future, such as transferring fingerprint and photo identification to and from field radios.

Dispatchers have additional facilities to enable them to broadcast, voice and text message to individuals, groups or multiple groups, in the geographical coverage area of a specific site.

Multiple users and groups can be monitored and controlled simultaneously by individual dispatch operators who are also able to override intra-field communication when necessary.

Furthermore, global positioning system-based location information is available from both portable and vehicle mounted radios. This allows dispatchers and supervisors to monitor the movement of police personnel and vehicles in real-time, and enables them to allocate tasks remotely.

The radio network also offers multiple levels of redundancy, including an integrated alarm system that provides technical personnel with the capability to react and quickly resolve problems.

Hi-tech crime-fighting

Police spokesman captain Percy Morokane says his agency remains committed to ensuring law enforcers use the best and most modern technology available to prevent and combat crime.

This is in response to the recent South African Human Rights Commission report that called for more efficiency on the part of the criminal justice system, which includes the police services, courts and correctional services.

Morokane says the police recently acquired and installed a genetic sample processing system at the forensic laboratory in Pretoria for use in DNA analysis.

The police have also established a biometric identification and enhancement solution within the criminal record centre to deal with biometrics, "which will facilitate the identification of criminals".

Morokane adds that one of the major successes of the national crime prevention strategy is the establishment of a high-technology centre to coordinate information and the utilisation of skills and technology within the criminal justice system. This supports investigators in identifying suspects, opposing bail, apprehending wanted suspects and establishing links between cases of a serious nature.