Radio communications are an effective tool in extreme situations in police work

Met dank overgenomen van Bulgaars voorzitterschap Europese Unie 1e helft 2018 (Bulgaars voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op woensdag 9 mei 2018.

The Ministry of Interior hosted a meeting of the Radio Communication Expert Group (RCEG), a sub-format of the Law Enforcement Working Party (LEWP).

During the working sessions, representatives of the law enforcement structures of the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland discussed the implementation of pan-European radio communications for the protection of public order and disaster response. In this context, next generation network projects were reviewed.

"Often, radio communications are the only way for our officers on the ground to stay connected in extreme conditions and emergencies. Through them, the different law enforcement structures can coordinate their actions and work as a team,”

said the Deputy Minister of Interior, Stefan Balabanov, at the opening of the meeting. He highlighted the continuity and consistency in the work of the expert group as a guarantee for efficiency in the age of technology.

Delegates from Norway, Finland and Sweden shared their experience in developing inter-system interoperability projects. The participants also took note of the progress on the European fleetmap in this area. Bulgaria presented best practices in the development of the TETRA network of the Ministry of Interior and the Integrated Intelligent Security System. The discussions also focused on the progress in third-generation mobile phone system specifications, as well as on harmonisation of frequencies for drones used for public order protection and disaster response.

Background

RCEG was established based on the Council Recommendation of 4-5 June 2009 on improving radio communication between operational units in border areas, for the purpose of coping with the growing need for mission-critical communication by examining the issues involved in the development of intersystem interfaces, including cost and funding opportunities. RCEG reports to the Law Enforcement Working Party (LEWP), and includes experts who deal with mobile communications.