Alexandria, Va. –The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today joins with our nation’s police officers, sheriffs, and other law enforcement officials, fire fighters, emergency medical service officials, local and state government officials, and so many other Americans in urging all Members of the United States (U.S.) Senate and the entire U.S. Congress to support public safety, and the public’s safety, by co-sponsoring this critical legislation, S. 28, The Public Safety and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011, as a significant step toward finally realizing a nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network.

Specifically, APCO President and Delaware State Police Communications Chief William “Bill” Carrow stressed, “As the nation nears the 10 year remembrance of the tragic events of 9/11, we will be working diligently to secure the time, attention and support due from every Member of Congress in helping us to secure the public’s safety, and the safety and effectiveness of the millions of first responders who risk their lives each and every day to protect people in their homes, their neighborhoods, their work and in their leisure. We will be advocating for ALL Members of Congress to follow the great vision and bipartisan leadership provided by Senator John “Jay” Rockefeller, IV, along with others including Congressman Peter King, Senator Joe Leiberman, and Senator John McCain, in supporting broadband for first responders. We again thank those Senators who have already become co-sponsors to Chairman Rockefeller’s bill, including Senators Frank Lautenberg (NJ-D), Bill Nelson (FL-D), Tom Harkin (IA-D), Benjamin Cardin (MD-D) and Amy Klobuchar (MN-D). Even in these trying economic times, we urge Congress and the Obama Administration to make the realization of a nationwide, interoperable public safety wireless broadband network a top priority this year.”

This effort stands in stark contrast to the very narrow profit interests of a few industry carriers under the so-called 4G Coalition, to include T-Mobile and Sprint, who have a considerable business interest in purchasing the D-Block spectrum at auction with limited bidding competition and little to no viable protections for public safety preemption.  However, the Obama Administration, Congress, and the wireless industry have also acknowledged that there is other spectrum that can be repurposed, auctioned for commercial broadband use, and the proceeds dedicated to assist in the build-out of a nationwide public safety broadband network.

Public safety is neither seeking a profit, nor asking Congress to simply allocate invaluable and finite spectrum so they can simply browse web pages, post messages on Facebook and Twitter, or download streaming video from YouTube on their smart phones and i-Pads.  Public safety, state and local government, CIOs, Technology Directors, and many other fiscally responsible leaders throughout our society, both management and rank-n-file and both public and private sector interests, are rallying behind Chairman Rockefeller to efficiently allocate an appropriate portion of available spectrum to save lives, protect the public, and make our communities safer.  This critical technology infrastructure is long overdue. It will support jobs in its construction, as well as dramatically improve the safety and effectiveness of millions of our country’s public servants and critical infrastructure community.

S.28, The Public Safety and Wireless Innovation Act of 2011, reintroduces legislation representing a bipartisan effort begun in late 2010 that, if enacted, would truly begin to provide public safety with the foundational elements – sufficient spectrum and funding – to begin to deploy and realize a nationwide, interoperable and mission-critical public safety broadband network throughout America. The legislation is expected to be the subject of several upcoming hearings, and will likely see some modifications, but its core imperatives of funding and public safety spectrum allocation must remain intact.

“As a member of the Steering Committee of the Public Safety Alliance, APCO International is proud to join once again with our many other leading national public safety, state and local government, and other supporting associations to continue to advocate for baseline wireless broadband capabilities so that law enforcement, fire, EMS and other first responders in the field can even begin to match the citizen’s current and future expectations when faced with critical incidents and emergencies, both day-to-day and during large scale manmade or natural events,” stated Dick Mirgon, APCO’s Immediate Past President and current PSA Representative.

About APCO International
APCO International is the world’s largest organization of public safety communications professionals. It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide—and the welfare of the general public as a whole—by providing complete expertise, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and outreach. For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.

About Public Safety Alliance
The Public Safety Alliance is a partnership with the nation’s leading public safety associations, which includes the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Association of EMS Officials. The partnership is operated as a program of APCO International.  For more information, visit http://psafirst.org.