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89 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, April 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend March 1, 2004 Medford police Lt. Mike Moran uses a mobile data terminal in a police car. A high-speed, high-bandwidth wireless data network being installed citywide will help the city�s various departments � particularly the police � make better use of technology. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Wireless will speed city’s work New network can beam information to patrol cars and to public works crews By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Medford has started installing a high-speed wireless network that will beam data, photos, maps and other information to police officers patrolling the street, public works crews laboring around town and building inspectors on the move. The network, which is set to begin operation April 2, should boost efficiency and cut costs, city officials said. Officials learned about the network technology at Comdex, the giant electronics trade show in Las Vegas, a year and a half ago, Medford’s Deputy Chief Ron Norris said. MeshNetworks Inc., of Maitland, Fla., sells the technology that was developed by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). "This is an example of technology making a huge difference in the community, by improving communications, efficiency and safety for our officers and the public we serve," Norris said. Federal grants available to help improve communication among local emergency responders also factored into the city’s decision. Medford received $500,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, to help pay for the $710,000 system. The rest of the money came from the city’s general fund. Advertisement Medford’s police, firefighters, public works crews and building inspectors will use the system. Any computer equipment that can be networked — laptop, handheld and tablet computers, even cameras — can connect to the system, said Doug Townsend, the city’s technology services director. Although the network has the capability to transmit video from surveillance cameras, city officials stress that they have no plans to set up such a system. They might look into ways police could access images from cameras already in place in banks and schools during an emergency, Norris said. Once connected to the network, each computer essentially becomes a hub for routing information. That means if some equipment breaks down, other parts of the system keep things moving, company officials say in marketing materials. More users make the network more efficient rather than bogging it down. The design also enables the network to cover large areas, MeshNetworks said. In patrol cars, the MeshNetworks technology will speed photographs of suspects to officers and provide maps to show the fastest way to get police where they are needed, Norris said. As a comparison, he describes the current network as a garden hose for the flow of information, where the new network is a fire hose. The new network will substantially reduce the use of the current cellular network that the department uses to transmit information to and from patrol cars. Townsend estimates that the city can save $24,000 a year using the new network, for which the city will own the equipment, rather than paying to use a cell-based network. The city is exploring programs that will enable officers to place telephone calls via computers on the network, thus cutting their reliance on cell phones. They will still have cell phones, but through reduced usage, the city could save about $30,000 a year on its cell phone bill, Townsend said. The city expects even more significant savings as the new network increases the efficiency of public works crews and building inspectors, Townsend said. Public works crews will tap into the network to access information from the field, instead of having to return to the service center between jobs, he said. This is estimated to save crews between a half-hour and an hour each day in travel time. Those tidbits of time should add up to $166,400 in labor savings annually, he estimates. Building inspectors can connect to the network to update inspection data from the field, Townsend said. Now, they make notes during an inspection, then have to return to the office to update city records. "MeshNetworks technology is allowing us to improve productivity and customer service," he said. Officials are excited about the potential to extend the system to other emergency-response crews. Townsend said the city plans to link Jackson County’s emergency-management command vehicle, a custom motorhome that houses a mobile communication center for use during crises. Norris said the city also will guide other agencies that want to adopt such a network. The city has sought additional grant funding to extend the network along Interstate 5 from Central Point to Ashland, both cities that rely on Medford’s central dispatch center, Norris said. Although the network is largely federally funded, it’s developed strictly for local use, Townsend said. There are no plans for federal use of the network. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times