Moving With Technology

Many of the new technologies and innovations that are being implemented in the mobile command vehicles used by law enforcement agencies will enhance the effectiveness of the unit and the operations they assist. From satellite downlinks that provide high-speed Internet and video, to interoperable systems which allow communication with any type of radio, these recent upgrades are examples of how new technologies are driving forward the many functions of mobile command vehicles.

The body is a temple

Having the latest technology won't do a police department a bit of good without a sturdy, rugged body to house it. Like the equipment they hold, the bodies of mobile command vehicles have been enhanced.

"I think in the last couple of years, there have been major improvements in the types and qualities of bodies available to build on," says Larry LaGuardia, sales and business development manager for LDV, based in Burlington, WI. "Since these are once-in-a-lifetime purchases for many agencies, the vehicles are now getting into a structure that will last that lifetime."

Overall, bodies have a more rigid structure, fewer rivets and are steering away from fiberglass and rubber roofs. One of the reasons more mobile command units are being built with rigid bodies is because the funding has recently become available. "In an age when people weren't getting grant funding, it was a budgeted item and there was less funding for this type of item," explains LaGuardia.

"Consequently, people years ago were forced to make compromises — trying to convert buses and make things work that really weren't designed from the ground up for this application."

LaGuardia now sees most customers build their vehicles with 1/8-in. aluminum which is typical for fire apparatus and fire trucks since the material practically lasts forever with maintenance. He also notes that most people are diverting from the RV-type chassis and switching to a commercial chassis.

Many of the roof units on older mobile command vehicles are constructed of fiberglass or rubber. After mounting several hundred pounds of equipment on them, they begin to flex, leading to leaks or cracking. To alleviate this problem, welded tread plate roofs are becoming the norm. This makes the roof more rigid, and even with all the equipment being placed on the roof, the situation with water and air leaks is significantly reduced.

Another recent improvement in the body construction is an expanded application for chemical/biological protection. Incorporating specially sealed bodies that use over-pressurized air filtration systems, more vehicles are able to be NBC (Nuclear Biological and Chemical) protected.

"If you have a hazardous material or anthrax situation, this means you can drive into the plume, gather a sample, identify the material, find an antidote, etc." says Jim Parker, vice president of sales for homeland security and government for Pierce Mfg., Appleton, WI.

Communication is king

There are countless technologies available to fill a mobile command center. Determining which technologies are the right ones is up to the individual department and the specific missions it wants the mobile command center to fulfill.

Communication might be the key factor when it comes to the successful response of a situation.

The primary means that law enforcement and first responders communicate through is radios. With different radios, frequencies and channels, each member of the command team might have multiple radios in front of them. The technology mobile command centers are incorporating to combat this difficulty is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). "VoIP interfaces the hardware/radio with the use of an interface card and cable to a computer network, and the software operates those hardware devices," explains Matt Stehno, engineer and project coordinator for Emergency Management Equipment, Salt Lake City, UT. "Instead of the dispatchers console having five to six radios on different bands or channels, there is one computer that can operate and patch any and all radios together across band frequencies."