In a critical incident, clear and immediate communication can be the difference between a successful response and operational failure. Yet, many agencies continue to face radio congestion, interoperability challenges and infrastructure vulnerabilities — all of which can delay response times and put officers at risk.
Law enforcement leaders are now looking beyond traditional radio systems, exploring hybrid communication strategies that combine LMR, LTE and broadband networks. This shift has already proven beneficial in large-scale disaster responses, high-density urban operation, and multi-agency investigations.
In this Q&A with Chief Chris Moore — a veteran law enforcement executive with over 34 years of public safety experience, including serving as Chief of Police in San Jose, the 10th largest city in the United States — we examine how agencies are eliminating communication blind spots, ensuring cross-jurisdictional coordination, and leveraging secure, encrypted mobile platforms to improve response times and officer safety.
Key discussion points:
- Interagency collaboration: How law enforcement agencies are improving cross-jurisdictional communication through secure mobile Push-to-Talk (PTT) solutions.
- Ensuring officer connectivity in high-demand incidents: How agencies are deploying mobile-first communication strategies during large-scale events, protests, and disaster responses.
- Securing mission-critical communications: Why end-to-end encryption is now a priority for mobile law enforcement communication networks.
About Chief Moore
Chief Chris Moore is a veteran law enforcement executive with over 34 years of public safety experience. His expertise spans many facets of public safety including field operations management, emergency communications/911 operations, internal affairs investigations, and media relations/crisis communications. In 2013, after rising through every rank of the San Jose Police Department, Moore retired as Chief of Police of the 10th largest city in the United States. Chief Moore holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.P.A. from San Jose State University. Moore also earned a J.D. from Lincoln Law School of San Jose and is a member of the State Bar of California. He is a graduate of both the FBI National Executive Institute at Quantico, Virginia and the California POST Law Enforcement Command College. He currently serves on the advisory board for the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice.
Q: Why is effective cross-jurisdictional communication especially critical during complex incidents?
Chief Moore: Effective communication across jurisdictions is vital because emergencies rarely respect boundaries. Whether it’s wildfires, large-scale criminal incidents, or mass-casualty events, quick and seamless communication between agencies can mean the difference between life and death. For example, during major wildfires or a large-scale criminal event, delays caused by incompatible radio systems or isolated frequencies severely slow down responses, endangering both officers and the public.
Q: What challenges do agencies face when officers move between jurisdictions with different radio systems?
Chief Moore: The primary issue is the significant delay caused by communication passing through multiple dispatchers. In cross-jurisdictional pursuits, crucial information is often outdated by the time it reaches the responding officers. This delay can allow suspects to evade capture or lead to dangerous situations where officers lack timely situational awareness.
Q: How do hybrid mobile solutions improve coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies?
Chief Moore: Hybrid solutions that integrate LMR with LTE technologies streamline communication by enabling direct, real-time sharing of information. Instead of relying on dispatcher-to-dispatcher relay, officers communicate directly, significantly reducing response delays. For example, these systems allow immediate updates and quicker coordination in multi-agency responses, such as during major public events or multi-jurisdictional criminal investigations.
Q: Can you share an example where mobile PTT technology significantly enhanced interagency cooperation during a major event or investigation?
Chief Moore: Dallas, Georgia, stands out prominently. The police department there fully transitioned to LTE-based Push-to-Talk solutions, dramatically improving their ability to communicate instantly across jurisdictions. This transition provided clear evidence to other agencies nationwide that LTE-based communication platforms are highly effective, reliable and transformative.
Q: What communication challenges commonly arise during large-scale incidents, such as protests or natural disasters?
Chief Moore: During large-scale events, traditional radio networks quickly become overwhelmed due to excessive demand, resulting in critical communication breakdowns. This overload can severely hamper emergency response efforts, compromising officer safety and public security at critical moments.
Q: How do LTE and broadband solutions improve agency responses compared to traditional radio-only communications in high-demand situations?
Chief Moore: LTE and broadband solutions offer scalability and adaptability, providing agencies the ability to rapidly expand and adjust communication capacities during intense operational scenarios. For instance, during significant events like major protests or disasters, these solutions ensure clear, reliable communication despite peak network usage, thereby maintaining effectiveness and reducing operational risks.
Q: Why has end-to-end encryption become an essential component of modern law enforcement communication strategies?
Chief Moore: As law enforcement increasingly relies on digital communications, cybersecurity threats become more significant. End-to-end encryption ensures that sensitive operational information remains secure from cyber threats and unauthorized access, preserving both officer safety and the integrity of operations.
Q: What specific cybersecurity risks should agencies be aware of when adopting mobile-first communication platforms?
Chief Moore: Agencies need to be particularly cautious about common threats such as phishing attacks, malware infections, and other cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Regular cybersecurity training, encryption protocols, and system audits are essential for proactively mitigating these risks.
Q: What steps should agencies take to ensure their PTT-over-LTE solutions remain secure from cyber threats?
Chief Moore: Agencies must implement robust encryption, enforce secure authentication procedures, provide ongoing cybersecurity training for officers and conduct regular security audits. Educating officers on identifying and responding to cyber threats is critical to maintaining secure communication environments.
Q: How do mobile command solutions enable better coordination between field officers and command staff?
Chief Moore: Mobile command solutions facilitate real-time intelligence sharing, live video streaming, precise GPS tracking and direct messaging. These capabilities empower command staff with timely and detailed information, enabling faster, more strategic decisions and significantly enhancing field operational safety and efficiency.
Q: What advice do you have for agencies looking to implement hybrid communication solutions?
Chief Moore: The key to successful implementation is strong leadership commitment, comprehensive training, frequent interoperability testing and robust cybersecurity measures. Additionally, involving frontline officers in the planning and decision-making process ensures solutions are practical and user-friendly. Agencies should prioritize flexibility, ensuring their communication infrastructures remain adaptable to future technological advancements.
Communication resilience checklist
Use this checklist to strengthen your agency’s communication capabilities and enhance officer safety during critical incidents.
1. Evaluate coverage and blind spots
- Conduct a comprehensive coverage assessment to identify radio system limitations (e.g., in urban density, buildings, underground).
- Integrate LTE-based Push-to-Talk (PTT) solutions to address identified coverage gaps.
- Regularly test hybrid solutions for reliability under varying operational conditions.
2. Improve cross-jurisdictional coordination
- Adopt mobile-first solutions enabling direct agency-to-agency communication.
- Establish standardized protocols for multi-agency responses.
- Conduct routine cross-agency drills to ensure smooth, seamless interoperability.
3. Enhance connectivity during high-demand incidents
- Implement scalable broadband solutions to quickly expand network capacity.
- Equip personnel with mobile devices capable of dynamic prioritization during network congestion.
- Develop contingency plans to rapidly adjust resources in response to unexpected demand spikes.
4. Strengthen cybersecurity and data protection
- Utilize end-to-end encryption across all digital communications platforms.
- Conduct regular cybersecurity training sessions for all personnel.
- Perform routine system audits to proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
5. Ensure strategic implementation and buy-in
- Obtain strong leadership commitment and clearly communicate technology benefits.
- Involve frontline officers in technology selection, planning, and feedback.
- Schedule regular training and refresher sessions to maintain user proficiency.
6. Foster future-proof flexibility
- Select communication platforms adaptable to emerging technologies (e.g., 5G, AI).
- Continuously monitor industry developments to anticipate future communication needs.
- Regularly revisit and update your communication strategy to ensure ongoing resilience and effectiveness.
