On November 18, APCO and personnel from Miami-Dade County met with staff from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to discuss ongoing interference to a public safety 6 GHz microwave system. As described in a letter summarizing the meeting, the process for detecting, identifying, and eliminating the interference has been underway for two years. Miami-Dade cannot fully utilize its new system for the life-safety communications it was designed for until the interference is resolved. Miami-Dade and APCO sought support from the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau leadership to promptly eliminate the ongoing interference, as well as guidance on a more effective process for resolving interference in future cases.
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FBI investigations indicate that as of November 2022, Hive ransomware has targeted government facilities, communications and critical infrastructure enterprises resulting in millions of dollars in ransomware payments. Cyber actors have gained initial intrusion through a variety of techniques. A recently published joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) Alert from the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) outlines:
- MITRE ATT&K Techniques
- Mitigation Methods
- Potential Indicators of Compromise
To learn more about ransomware guidance and resources, please visit cisa.gov/stopransomware.
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The deadline is approaching to submit your nomination to become the Conference and Exposition Committee (CEC) Host Committee Chairperson for APCO 2024. The event will take place August 4-7, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. You can find complete information regarding the requirements for a nomination on PSConnect or contact the CEC Chair, Kim Ostin. Please submit your complete nomination to Kim D. Ostin, CEC Chair. The deadline is December 1, 2022.
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Fox 2 Now
Public safety telecommunicator Scott Stranghoener was on the phone with the girl for 10 ½ minutes, guiding her through the delivery.
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ARL Now
Arlington County, Virginia, officials have noticed an uptick in hoax calls — known as “swatting" — meant to draw emergency response to schools and other locations.
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Sammye Foster Cotton of Wills Point, Texas, passed away November 16 at the age of 43 after a battle with ALS. Cotton was Garland (Texas) Police Department Communications Manager and an APCO member who previously worked for McKinney (Texas) Police Department and the Commerce (Texas) Police Department. She worked as treasurer of the Municipal Emergency Communications District Association and was active in the Texas chapter by serving on the state conference committee for several years.
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Billings Gazette
Billings (Montana) Police Department communication will no longer be publicly broadcast to conceal confidential, sensitive and personal identification often included in law enforcement traffic.
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Mid Hudson News
“It is my true honor and privilege to recognize these 9-1-1 dispatchers for their tireless public service and critical work,” said Acting Ulster County Executive Johanna Contreras, pointing to the October 28-30 weekend when the emergency communications center handled 1,077 calls.
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