| ||
 |
||
| $6 Million Grant to Improve Public Safety Communications in Oregon | ||
| 09/17/2007 | ||
|
Mike Zanon Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network Oregon State Police Office: 503.378.3055 ext. 55037 The Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded a $6 million grant to the Oregon State Police to acquire technology to improve information-sharing and enhance voice interoperability with regional, state, and federal partners. The Oregon State Police has been working with the Departments of Transportation, Forestry, and Corrections as well as other local and federal public safety agencies to upgrade and improve voice and data communications in Oregon. Specifically, this grant will allow the state to upgrade existing communications equipment. According to Mike Zanon, Director of the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN), the COPS grant funding will help purchase digital microwave equipment to fill gaps in the State's existing digital microwave system. "This will result in greatly improved communications reliability and public safety data transfer capability along nearly 500 miles of major intrastate transportation corridors in an area encompassing Portland south to Salem, east to Bend, north to The Dalles and back to Portland," said Zanon. "The Oregon State Police and the Department of Transportation will work with Portland Metro-area public safety agencies and the federal government to upgrade and interconnect existing systems." Zanon also indicated that grant funds will also be used to implement a public safety mobile data system. This will allow public safety professionals the ability to send and receive critical information to laptop computers mounted in vehicles. This grant will help Oregon maximize the value and the impact of the separate investments that are being made on communications projects in the most populated region of the state. The new equipment will become part of Oregon state government's consolidated public safety communication system known as the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN). Ultimately, these investments will strengthen Oregon's public safety professionals' ability to react effectively to emergencies thereby improving public safety for all Oregonians. ### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
|
||
