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Every law enforcement agency has faced communication failures during high-risk operations — whether due to radio congestion, infrastructure failures, or interoperability issues between departments. In these moments, officers must have reliable, secure and redundant communication options that ensure mission-critical connectivity.
This Police1 VISION webinar — sponsored by L3Harris — moves beyond theory with two detailed case studies:
- Dallas (Ga.) Police Department: Chief Joe Duvall explains why his seven-square-mile city chose an LTE-first, dual-SIM approach with L3Harris XL 200 radios, cutting projected costs from $3 million to under $700,000 and achieving high-90s percent coverage.
- Powhatan County, Va.: Director of Public Safety Communications Tom Nolan outlines a countywide P25 trunked upgrade, driven by a 5,000-spec RFP, 95 percent outdoor coverage mandate and locked-in maintenance pricing.
Through their lessons learned — from needs assessments and in-building tests to redundancy design, cybersecurity safeguards, grant funding and change-management tactics — attendees will gain a clear checklist for modernizing mission-critical communications without overspending.
Ideal for chiefs, public-safety communications managers and IT decision-makers, the session delivers practical steps to close coverage gaps, secure networks and future-proof officer connectivity.
What attendees liked about this webinar:
- The knowledge base of the presenters and their openness to share their information
- The relevance to all departments, regardless of size or location
- Discussion from the chiefs on how they were able to update their systems using real data to drive their discussions and decisions
About the panel
Joe Duvall is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 38 years of experience. He began his career with the Marietta Police Department, where he served for 31 years and retired at the rank of Major. In January 2018, Duvall was appointed as the Chief of Police for the Dallas Police Department in Georgia. Duvall spearheaded the department’s transition to FirstNet broadband technology, making it the first agency in the state — and one of the first in the nation — to adopt this innovation for patrol and dispatch operations. Duvall is a U.S. Navy veteran and holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University and a Bachelor of Science from Kennesaw State University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the DEA Drug Unit Commander’s Academy, the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.
Thomas Nolan is the Director of Public Safety Communications for Powhatan County 911 Department, a position he has held since October 2016. With over 30 years of public safety experience, Nolan brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to emergency communications. Prior to joining Powhatan County, he spent six years managing the 911 Center for the City of Richmond, Virginia, one of the Commonwealth’s busiest and most complex public safety answering points.
Throughout his career, Nolan has been committed to improving response times, enhancing interagency collaboration, and implementing innovative technologies to support first responders and ensure public safety. His strategic approach to emergency communications management reflects a deep understanding of operational efficiency, personnel development, and community-focused service delivery.
Nolan’s leadership in Powhatan has helped modernize the county’s 911 operations and strengthen emergency preparedness for residents and responders alike.
About the moderator
Rob Lawrence has been a leader in civilian and military EMS for over a quarter of a century. He is currently the director of strategic implementation for PRO EMS and its educational arm, Prodigy EMS, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and part-time executive director of the California Ambulance Association.
He previously served as the chief operating officer of the Richmond Ambulance Authority (Virginia), which won both state and national EMS Agency of the Year awards during his 10-year tenure. Additionally, he served as COO for Paramedics Plus in Alameda County, California.
Access this on-demand webinar by completing the “Watch this Police1 on-demand webinar” box on this page!