What’s in your connected patrol vehicle?
Do you ever feel like fitting the gear and equipment into your squad car feels a bit like a puzzle? Patrol vehicles aren’t exactly roomy environments to begin with, and when they’re fully stocked with everything you need to do your job, protect & serve, the feeling is less than spacious.
Think about it. Although this list might vary slightly, based on your specialty area, you likely have your firearms and plenty of ammo, crime scene tape, a fire extinguisher, medical supplies, clothing for inclement weather, training supplies, and other assorted gear and equipment. And then you have all of your eCitation technology: a rugged laptop or tablet, a keyboard, mobile printer, a docking station or mount, and your 4910LR Driver’s License Reader.
Then, there’s one more piece of equipment that you may not even realize you have, and it’s kept in the trunk. A wireless router.
What is a wireless router or gateway?
Your wireless router or gateway is a piece of hardware that you probably don’t ever think about. It works behind the scenes in the trunk of your patrol vehicle, keeping you connected. This piece of equipment provides your connected patrol car with communication, wherever you go. It looks like a metal box and it’s sturdy. If you hit someone over the head with it, they’d know it. In fact, that should be the case for all squad car equipment and technology. It must be rugged and resilient enough to stay up and running despite intense temperature variations, movements and vibrations, and rough treatment in general.
The ICR-3241 rugged public safety router is one of the newer models out there, and the cool thing about it is that not only is it built for public safely, it is also less expensive than its competitors (and what you currently have in your patrol car trunk). This piece of hardware allows you to better protect and serve your community – by ensuring that you have connectivity & communication at all times.
A connected patrol car keeps you safer on the job
If you’re wondering why a router is so important, think about this. What if you lost all communications during an emergency? No phone/radio signal. No internet connection. No database access. No connection to other officers. No contact with mobile command. No communication with headquarters. No location services being transmitted.
Nothing.
And THAT is why a reliable router and network is so important.
ICR-3241 is one of a handful of routers that is FirstNet Ready™. FirstNet provides a dedicated network for First Responders, so you are never without communication – even during a crisis or when networks are busy. The ICR has dual SIM slots, so in addition to FirstNet, it is able to support backup connections through AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. This means that if you patrol in rural or spotty areas and you lose your network connection, you are able to switch to another carrier and maintain connectivity.
Beyond safety: eCitation
Obviously, officer safety is the number one priority, but thinking beyond safety, a reliable connection is essential for all sorts of administrative tasks and road patrol responsibilities, such as completing and sending eCitations and accident reports. A strong connection ensures that essential databases can be accessed and data can be shared within your agency and with approved outside agencies.
Where there’s a strong network connection, there must also be a secure and easy-to-manage infrastructure to support your IT staff and to protect your agency from security threats. Your IT department is working towards the same goals you are – keeping your community safe.
ICR-3241 User Feedback:
If I was in mobile command with this [the ICR-3241].. Just in terms of what I could see that it could do – I could pinpoint about six things that this would make easier in a crisis.”
Sheriff’s Office IT Department
The ICR-3241 wireless router maintains connectivity with all of the technology in your connected patrol car and keeps it running smoothly. At L-Tron, we have worked with and for Law Enforcement for over 20 years. We support you through the entire product lifecycle. We’ve established trusted partnerships with leading manufacturers and we stand by our work. In short? You won’t get burned. Our business supports your department and we are here for the long haul.
Have questions about your connected patrol car? Contact L-Tron to discuss improving your in-car communication & connectivity.
