By Chris Algiere, FirstNet Federal Outreach Branch Chief
Yesterday, FirstNet formally initiated the federal consultation process with a “kick-off” meeting in Washington, D.C., involving more than a dozen federal departments and agencies.

Reprinted from Police Chief Magazine, vol. 82, no. 1, pages 48-50, 2015. Copyright held by the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, Inc., 44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314. Further reproduction without express permission from IACP is strictly prohibited.
By TJ Kennedy, Acting Executive Director
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, was created to empower the United States’ first responders with stateof-the-art communications tools, including a nationwide interoperable, wireless network. This network will be established in all 50 states, the 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia per the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.

By Dave Buchanan, FirstNet Director of State Consultation
More than 65 representatives from local, state, and tribal public safety and communications entities gathered at the Nevada State Capitol Building in Carson City, NV on January 7, to learn more about FirstNet and exchange ideas on the deployment of the nationwide public safety broadband network (“NPSBN”) in the state. The meeting got off to a great start when Nevada Public Safety Communications Committee Co-Chair Jim Wright and state single point of contact (“SPOC”) Chris Smith opened the Initial Consultation Meeting by affirming Nevada’s commitment to the NPSBN.

To commemorate Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, FirstNet presents a blog on the efforts by a California law enforcement officer to develop applications “by officers for officers”.
Southern California Police Officer Jason Coillot is using his background in helicopter patrol and street patrol experience to develop mobile applications “by officers for officers.” He got his start several years ago when he came up with the concept for a Vehicle Identification System (V.I.S. – The Patrolman's Vehicle Guide), which he then developed into a reference tool app. The V.I.S. provides an extensive image database for viewing or identifying a suspect’s vehicle that can be downloaded and used by individual officers, or licensed for use in patrol cars with the goal of making investigations faster and more efficient.