Police in the US have taken the lead and installed the infrastructure for anew mobile data communications system.

The mobile workstations with tremendous capabilities to manage emergencieswill give access to major crime databases to the Los Angeles PoliceDepartment (LAPD) soon. Working at one of the best data transmission speeds,they would be able to access and relay information and do much much more.

Purchase of such an advanced system for the police department is consideredvery rare even in the US as LAPD decided to make the transition to the newsystem to accommodate a growing vehicle fleet, increased communicationsneeds and dramatic developments in communications technology. But it onlyemphasises the role of the law enforcement officers in this chaotic worldand surely, this could be a trend setter for couterparts worldover.

The new system, Private DataTAC mobile data system, designed by Motorola,has been installed at a cost of $21.6 million.

It has mobile workstations and mobile computing devices, which provide thedepartment the capability to simultaneously manage multiple emergencies suchas explosions, earthquakes and fires in separate parts of the city withoutcompromising communications for routine, ongoing calls.

The officers can have access to some of the major crime databases in the USsuch as the department of justice's wanted persons system, stolen vehiclesystem and automated firearms system as well as the National CrimeInformation Center (NCIC) and the California Department of Motor VehiclesRecords. The units will also enable officers to access and relay informationat the one of the fastest data transmission speeds possible today.

The system will also provide the department the communications platform itneeds to add such advanced capabilities as magnetic card strip and bar-codereaders, photographic displays and automatic vehicle tracking andlocation.

The communications channels, numbering 10, transfer data at speeds up to19.2 kbps (kilobits per second), eight times faster than the previous systemand an increase in overall data system capacity more than 500 per cent.The mobile workstation units combine the flexibility of a wireless dataterminal and the power of a desktop computer, which can perform reliably inthe rugged law enforcement environment. The units feature a Pentiumprocessor, Windows 95 operating system, a 10.4-inch color LCD display, a19.2 kbps wireless modem and removable keyboard.

The system software includes pre-formatted screens tailored specifically toLAPD requirements. The mobile data system operates from nine city-ownedsites to provide coverage throughout the city's 465 square miles.

The department is also developing a state-of-the-art digital voice systemwhich will include 57 UHF channels, 24 system sites, encryptioncapabilities, and will be compliant withAPCO (associated of public-safetycommunications officials international) project 25 standard forpublic-safety communications systems. Installation of the digital voicesystem will begin early 2000.