HISTORY

The Arizona Public Safety Communications Committee (PSCC) originated as an ad-hoc committee comprised of dedicated public safety executives who volunteered their time and energy to addressing the short and long-term interoperable communications needs for all public safety entities in the state of Arizona. The PSCC was formed in April of 2000 to educate its members and community stakeholders on the critical need for interoperability and to begin the process of identifying funding for this long-term enterprise. The PSCC membership has shared one central focus: to develop a standards-based, shared voice and data radio system that efficiently and effectively addresses the front-line needs of its users to protect life and property.

The PSCC started meeting on a quarterly basis and established subcommittees to assist in identifying funding and educating the public safety community, general public and elected officials. With the assistance of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), a federal appropriation earmark was acquired to fund a study of public safety communications systems in use throughout Arizona. This study was the critical first step required before we could begin the development of a conceptual and detailed technical design that would set the course for future public safety communication systems in Arizona.

Since September 11, 2001 the national and state focus on homeland security has further emphasized the critical need for radio voice and data technologies to support the public safety “first responders” into the foreseeable future. Current homeland security funding is only a stop-gap measure to improve local interoperability and does not improve upon existing communication infrastructures or lack of statewide radio coverage.

While all public safety agencies have a need to upgrade communication capabilities to service their specific communities, it became clear a greater statewide effort was necessary to address multiple-agency/cross-jurisdictional communications needed during large-scale events and natural disasters affecting the state. This has evolved into a vision for a modern statewide voice and mobile-data network which will support local public safety operations as well as providing a robust statewide infrastructure supporting wide-area coverage for all agencies. This is a long-term, complex and expensive undertaking that requires a high level of accountability, management and operational control to be successful. Planning and management of a system of this size and complexity requires a competent full-time staff with a single focus toward a statewide system design and implementation.

Today's statewide microwave network and associated state agency radio systems are managed by engineers and technicians employed by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The state-owned microwave network, which could serve as the statewide infrastructure, is badly in need of modernization, which includes transitioning from analog to digital technology. The four to five decade old technologies and infrastructures of concrete and steel in Arizona have survived well beyond their anticipated life cycle and are in desperate need of replacement and modernization. DPS staffing and current funding are inadequate for the proper planning, development, deployment and operational management of any future network that becomes a part of the State's public safety infrastructure. Further, this issue transcends the needs and sole use by state agencies and affects all public safety entities working within the state.

Now officially organized as the Arizona Public Safety Communications Advisory Commission (continuing to be known as PSCC), the commission will build upon the work already begun. The PSCC staff will foster, recommend and develop technical standards; oversee conceptual and detailed design efforts; and pursue funding to build out and maintain a statewide system for use by all local, state, tribal and federal public safety entities in Arizona. The PSCC will continue to work closely with local, county, state, tribal and federal partners to insure a system design that will meet the needs of all parties. There is much more to be done, and the acquisition of ongoing funding to complete designs and construct the system is critical to enable and advance the work already accomplished.