INTEGRAPOL - Brazilian police network

The largest country in South America needs reliable communications

At 8.5 million square kilometers, Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. Its population — more than 192 million — is also the fifth largest on earth.

Responsible for securing this huge, dispersed population is Brazil's federal police department, Departamento de Polícia Federal, or DFP. To keep its officers connected, the police rely on INTEGRAPOL, the National Integrated Radio Communication Network from Airbus.

That big job takes a big network

INTEGRAPOL comprises:

• Five regional networks based on TETRAPOL IP
• 27 tactical management sites
• More than 100 radio base stations
• 220 independent digital repeaters
• Around 9,000 radio terminals are in use.

The Federal Police in Brazil have seen a big return on their investment. Since the network was launched in 2005, the department has used INTEGRAPOL to:

• Coordinate communications for several major events, such as the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
• Support the search for survivors and wreckage of Air France Flight 447
• Provide security for visiting dignitaries, such as Pope Benedict XVI and U.S. president Barack Obama

TETRAPOL network for national police

• Communicate securely with a sophisticated encryption mechanism for voice and data communication
• Integrate DPF units with other state public security forces, thanks to INTEGRAPOL's high level of secure access

Coverage issues solved

Covering the immense land mass had historically been a problem, but the TETRAPOL network and secure radios have effectively eliminated the trouble. Since the network was installed, officers have reported no coverage issues in Brazil's large urban centres.

No wonder INTEGRAPOL is becoming the model for an integrated communication system for national public security.

TETRAPOL networks for training, simulations

The Federal Police uses Tetrapol radios in training programs and at the Police's simulation training centre in Brasilia. Resembling a major city, the centre comprises 35 buildings and reproduces situations officers may face in high-risk urban areas.

As agents practice their skills in simulations ranging from containment tunnels to exposed terrain, they stay connected via Tetrapol radios.

Of course, it's one thing to keep officers connected in a simulation and another thing entirely to keep them connected in real life.