Is a smooth transfer to digital radio possible?

In the afternoon the EuroCOP Enlargement Conference made a digital switch, changing the focus towards more hands-on features.  

Making a decision on introducing digital radio and actually going through with it are issues many European Police forces are facing these days. Finland, UK and Spain are already quite ahead in the process, with their national police forces operating digitally already.

Norrie Flowers, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, was the first one to share his countries experiences and in particular the importance of managing health and safety risks.

“As far as I know Scotland and the UK are the only ones performing a health screening. Experts are divided if digital radio can be dangerous and no conclusions have been made so far. 

In this case we are a winner and the results that come out of these studies will be available for other countries.”

Janne Viljamaa, The National Police School Finland

Janne Viljamaa from the National Police School of Finland pointed out the advantages of a digital radio system.

“The most significant advantage is the ability to multi-task, with one button the dispatcher can alarm all necessary units; ambulances, rescue units, fire department, etc.”

Another factor is the ability to communicate with other countries, provided everyone is using the same digital radio system.

“In Sweden they are for example building up Tetra digital radio and in the future we will be able to communicate between Finland and Sweden through it. 

Before we had to use the mobile phone”. Viljamaa also recommended to introduce digital radio in several phases in order for the introduction to run smoothly and ended on a higher note:

“Tetra does everything for you but it doesn’t make coffee…”

Jeppe Jepsen from the Tetra Consortium, with members from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, the UK and other countries, could shed some light on the market’s point of view.

“The bigger the market the better competition - the more unanimous the easier it is to provide cheaper products.”

With countries using different systems, such as Tetra and Tetrapol, it becomes difficult to communicate across borders, according to Jepsen.

Another example of non-functioning communication mentioned by Jepsen was September 11^th, explaining why the rescue forces in Pentagon were able to deal with the situation in a better way.

“In New York the various services could not talk to each other. In Pentagon they had learned their lessons due to an earlier plane crash accident.”  

The EuroCOP special feature session was rounded up by a panel discussion made up by police representatives from Finland, Scotland, the Basque Country in Spain and the UK.

Norrie Flowers from SPF Scotland:

“As police officers we are a cynical lot anyway- so from a health perspective it was important we got this in place and hopefully it will show there are no health problems.”

Antti Jeronen from Finland:

“Tetra seemed like a good system, but in the EU we haven’t been able to achieve a united front within digital radio- we cannot be successful in our fight against crime if we don’t develop a common system.”

Panel: Norrie Flowers, Antti Jeronen, Roger Randall and Manuel Lopez

Roger Randall, BTFP, UK:

“I would just like to highlight some problems: Tetra is not compatible with our underground system- the police working there have to carry two systems. We also have a problem with pirate radio systems battering into our systems which causes disturbance. Other wise Tetra is God-sent, since we work in 43 different areas which enables us to communicate with each other.”

Manuel Lopez, Er.N.E., Basque Country

“In my force we have ended the preliminary phase this summer – but the national and civil guard use another system which is based on Tetrapol. In the years to come there will be two systems that aren’t inter operable. Therefore you won’t be able to have contact with another policeman that is using the other system.

The Schengen article talking of implementing international police cooperation will be difficult … If policemen can intervene in another country but  can’t use their own system the cooperation is not going to work. If for example policemen working for Frontex are using Tetrapol they would have to use Tetra if they would want to contact the Finnish colleagues.”