Los Angeles County Selects Raytheon For Upgrades

Raytheon Company has been chosen by Los Angeles County, CA to replace emergency dispatch consoles with new ones that can easily be expanded for emerging public safety technologies. Under a $12.5 million contract, the company will replace all public safety communications consoles for the sheriff and fire departments.

When the twin-screen consoles are in place, public safety dispatchers can readily see which units are available and have the shortest response time in handling both routine and emergency incidents. For L.A. County, the changes will also bring about increased interoperability between jurisdictions.

For example, county fire department dispatchers will now have the ability to directly connect with nearby fire agencies at the touch of a button. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFire) and Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties can form talk groups on radio channels that provide immediate communications with dispatchers.

"This type of interoperability is exactly what first responders need in this era of multi-agency, multi-discipline responses," said John Lenihan, Battalion Chief, L.A. County Fire Department.

"These radio consoles are the first step in improving interoperability throughout the region," added Capt. Scott Edson, Commander of the Sheriff's Department Communications and Fleet Management Bureau. "They allow our Public Response Dispatchers to more efficiently serve the deputies in the field, including 'patching' other radio systems together in a time of need.

The company is currently installing new mobile data laptop computers in more than 2,000 Sheriff's Department vehicles to help deputies perform more efficiently.

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