By Police1 Staff
We recently polled our Police1 audience to uncover some of the communications trends and purchasing habits within agencies when it comes to their command units.
Take a look at the responses and add your own comments in the section below!
1. How long has your department had a command unit?
Of those we polled, nearly 47 percent said their agency has had a command unit for five years or more. Another 20 percent said they’ve owned one for less than five years, and of course, the remainder do not have an agency-owned unit.
2. When was the most recent upgrade your PD made to a communications device within your command unit? (and what was it?)
Here were some of the most common responses:
- County-wide P25 radio upgrade
- Installed vehicle cameras
- Added monitors and WiFi
- Added multi-bank radio chargers
- New laptops and radios
3. What are the key communications features you would want in a command unit?
It appears as though the answer to Question 3 for most was “all of the above.” While mobile carrier networks and live TV access tipped the scales just slightly, all answer options were favorited.
Other responses included VHF radio, secure channels, and a computer system that checks licenses and registration.
4. What is your annual budget for communications gear?
We had a feeling the majority of officers from a variety of ranks wouldn’t be sure what portion of their budgets went to communications gear — and we were right. Nearly 68 percent claimed they weren’t sure. 15 percent believed it was $10,000 or more.
5. When you make these types of purchases, where does funding come from?
More than half of poll-takers (52 percent) believe their budget for this kind of technology is supplied by the municipal budget. Federal, local, and state grants trailed shortly behind — and an incredible 24.5 percent said that money comes out of pocket!
Does your agency have innovative communications technology the rest of us only dream about? Tell us about it!
