Public safety? There's an app for that

Published: 16 Oct 2015
Author: Mika Myllymäki
Reading time: 5 min

This is the age of the app. We have all become used to the power of running apps on our smartphones – so why should public safety workers be left out?

Medical team member uses a professional app

Public safety organisations have huge opportunities with new smart devices and new apps. These become possible in hybrid networks that combine the extremely secure and reliable TETRA/Tetrapol networks with mobile broadband data services.

Public safety authorities are about to enter the new era of apps.

But the very nature of public safety work sets some stringent demands to the apps.

1. Ownership and control of data

Any public safety organisation using a particular app must own and control all data generated by the app. This includes pictures, videos, stored voice and messaging. The user organisation must also control the storage of that critical data for future purposes, for example, in big data and data analytics. Above all, it must be absolutely sure about the security and confidentiality of the data.

2. Audit trail

It’s important that the audit trail of the data can be verified to serve as evidence in criminal proceedings.

3. Operational models

The user organisation should not have to change the way it operates to get the best advantage from apps. Instead, the apps should support the way the organisation works, particularly groups, as these are central to effective co-operation in the public safety sector.

4. Centralized provisioning

There is also the consideration that public safety operations are typically managed in a centralized way. The provisioning of organisations, users, access rights and communications groups takes place centrally, not managed by individual users. Apps need to support this.

5. Provisioning and device management

A trusted service provider should be responsible for the provision of the app services and their quality and confidentiality, as well as for device management. Ultimately, the user organisation itself should decide on any actions needed to fix the apps following any deviation in service. 

6. Same for everyone

It’s also important that everyone, control room staff and people on the front line, are all on the same page, so apps shall provide the same communication capabilities and access to critical data for control room users as for first responders in the field. In addition, some special capabilities can be provided for control room users to help them monitor and override the communications of ordinary users.

Public safety apps have to meet the six key requirements before they can become as routine to the police officer on patrol as WhatsApp or Snapchat are to an average teenager.

Real-life examples

One example of a public safety app is the Tactilon Agnet, which brings TETRA push-to-talk to smartphone users. For example, using just their smartphones, doctors in hospitals could talk to paramedics on their TETRA talk group.

Paramedic-holding-smartphone-with-Agnet-and-video-630x500

Another example is a multimedia app for standard smartphones and tablets. This app allows users to share pictures and video securely and reliably in a group – the same group of people that communicate in a TETRA talk group. Dispatchers using the RCS9500 control room solution can use the same app, all with total confidence that the shared material will not leak onto the open Internet.

Professionals could adopt these solutions and enter the new world of public safety apps with confidence.

For a one-to-one consultation to discuss professional apps, please contact us!

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----- Updated 28 Apr 2022

Perhaps there are other key requirements for public safety apps? The seventh Airbus survey on professional mobile apps offers new insight. Download now: "Professional app trends 2022 - 37 things you wish you'd known earlier":

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The Mission Is Critical blog gives you insights into professional and public safety broadband, mission critical user experience, secure and critical communications, hybrid narrowband-broadband solutions and dual-mode devices, and Tetrapol and TETRA radios.