Chicomm Blog

With today’s speed of information and tech-savvy civilians, social media is not a passing trend. And now more than ever, law enforcement and social media are coming together to keep people safe, informed and enlightened about the role of law enforcement in our society.

Here are the many benefits law enforcement officers across the country are gaining by tweeting, posting, and sharing; along with the challenges in social media they’re learning to overcome.

Emergency responder radio coverage in buildings is guaranteed by WiFi and cell coverage, right?

Wrong.

Our new video explores the importance of a dedicated distributed antenna system solution for first responders and why it’s so important for developers, architects and construction crews to work with public safety in mind from the very beginning.

Complying with requirements for public safety DAS, or distributed antenna systems, can be daunting for everyone involved, including the municipal officials in charge of enforcement.

Developers, contractors and building owners are looking to municipalities to offer guidance, oversee testing and ultimately give the blessing for building occupancy permits. It can be a lot of information to keep track of, especially when the stakes are so high.

For building owners and municipal officials asking and fielding questions about public safety DAS, here’s a quick reference guide to keep handy.

Anyone on a college campus who’s ever been let down by a cell phone’s spotty reception or an overloaded cell network will immediately appreciate the benefits of long range two-way radios.

Range, reliability and interoperability are the unbeatable assets against even the smartest smartphones out there.

With that comparison in mind, here are the top three benefits of long range two-way radios for college campuses. To make the right selections for your campus, make sure to work with two-way radio service providers who specialize in campus public safety. 

To earn the designation mission critical, a mobile radio for public safety must deliver the same robust functionality and innovative safety features as its handheld counterparts, and be easy to install and use.

Motorola has set the gold standard for land mobile radio technology for law enforcement, firefighters and emergency first responders, and the company has an estimated 80 percent market share in the United States, according to Morningstar.

It’s no wonder then that the top four mobile radios for public safety are powered by Motorola. Below we'll take a quick look at each one. To make the right selections for your department, make sure to work with two-way radio service providers who specialize in public safety.  

Captain George Rabiela has retired from the Chicago Fire Department, but he and his companion Brady the Fire Dog are still having a positive impact on people’s lives.

ChiComm has been fortunate to volunteer alongside Captain George at the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 Toy Parades, and we recently donated a lightbar to his efforts to help others.

We’re thrilled to introduce you to two of our favorite partners and tell you about their inspiring work.

In Illinois, STARCOM has made statewide radio for public safety a reality, bridging communications across local, state and federal jurisdictions, including colleges and universities.  

Given the importance of two-way radios as a top communication tool for school safety and even school bus safety, it makes sense to maximize their reach with a system like STARCOM, also known as STARCOM21.

Here’s a quick overview of what stepping up campus security with statewide radio for public safety looks like.

For public safety agencies and first responders, emergency radio literally saves lives. But what happens when criminals use public access to radio traffic against them?

Thanks to frequency scanner technology and other updated emergency communications equipment, police frequencies and other public safety traffic is largely accessible to the public.

But more jurisdictions around the country are rethinking that openness and turning instead to emergency radio encryption. Let’s take a look at both sides of the issue.

Whether you’re new to scanning or an experienced hobbyist looking to upgrade your equipment, it pays to be clear on what you’re looking for.

Listening to police frequencies and the conversations being held over the emergency response system of your area is an eye-opening experience, and to make the most of it, you’ll need the right equipment.

To help with your decision-making process, here are some questions to ask when buying a frequency scanner.

Technological advances have made it easier than ever for officers to keep in touch over police frequencies – and for the public to listen in.

From inexpensive frequency scanners to free smartphone apps, the opportunities are seemingly endless for people to monitor police radio and public safety traffic. While most of the interest is harmless, there are examples of the technology ending up in the wrong hands. 

Here are just a few of the ways that listening to police frequencies has never been easier.