5G Network Slicing and Connectivity Solutions for First Responders

Successful law enforcement operations require coordination between first responders to ensure both their safety and the safety of the public they serve. Police technology plays a vital role in facilitating communication between individual first responders and cooperating agencies. However, without reliable connectivity, these communication streams can easily break down, leading to unnecessary chaos.

With this in mind, Panasonic Connect and Verizon collaborate to ensure our law enforcement technology is equipped with cutting-edge connectivity solutions. This enhanced reliability ensures our police technology will work when it’s needed, giving first responders the tools they need to fully focus on the situation at hand.

First Responders Rely on Connectivity

Advances in police technology have provided officers with access to real-time information that improves their day-to-day operations. A few examples include:

• 911 advancements: Enhanced 911, live 911, and text-to-911 features have created more efficient and effective ways to gather information and deploy resources.
• Shared video: Vehicle cams, body cams, and traffic cams are all sources that can be shared between officers and agencies to coordinate more effective responses to events like a missing child or fire response.
• Disseminating information: During ongoing events, the ability to share video across law enforcement devices and also with the public creates better communication channels to keep all interested parties informed as the situation evolves.

Each of these features of police technology relies on strong, stable connectivity. However, connectivity between police technology devices can be stressed, especially during large events. Events such as parades, sporting events, celebrations, and organized protests, or spontaneous occurrences like unplanned demonstrations can create unique challenges:

• Large crowds can overload wireless networks, making it very difficult to maintain a stable connection.
• The enhanced response from public safety officers means numerous devices that all need to be able to connect. This includes in-vehicle devices, mobile devices (phones, tablets), body cams, city cameras, and unmanned aerial devices (drones).
• A coordinated response requires the connection of many different devices spread across multiple agencies.

In these situations, a lack of connectivity means certain devices will be offline, hindering first responders’ ability to effectively respond to real-time situations. Even when devices can establish a connection, a weak network can lead to greater latency, limiting access to vital information that first responders rely on.

Dedicated Connectivity for Police Technology: 5G Network Slicing

One of Verizon’s newest innovations to ensure public sector connectivity is its Frontline 5G Network Slicing. Currently available as an in-vehicle solution, network slicing carves out a piece of Verizon’s 5G network for exclusive use by first responders. This eliminates any competition with commercial devices for data and connectivity.

While network slicing is only available on 5G standalone (SA) devices and requires a hardware upgrade, it can greatly enhance the efficacy of police technology. Network slicing allows technology providers like Panasonic Connect to configure devices and apps for public safety needs while optimizing for maximal functionality with assured 5G speeds. This creates immediate benefits for officers:

• Large amounts of data can be disseminated with no latency for enhanced coordination between all mobile units during emergency response.
• Assured connectivity for mobile command centers creates opportunities for more centralized command within emergency areas.
• Real-time video can be remotely monitored from all mobile units.
• 5G network slicing eliminates the security need for VPNs, which often leads to poor resolution across videos and higher latency.
• Upgrades to computer-aided dispatch (CAD) will allow for the routing of individual cars based on real-time traffic and vehicle positions. This leads to fewer bottlenecks and faster response times.

5G Network Slicing also allows agencies to pay for a service rather than owning their in-vehicle communications, like the radio systems that are currently used. This creates a more reliable communication system while freeing up long-term budgetary funds, enables easier upgrades as tech advances, and encourages partnerships with industry leaders like Panasonic Connect and Verizon.

Beyond Network Slicing: Other Police Technology Connectivity Solutions

In addition to network slicing, Panasonic Connect and Verizon provide other connectivity solutions for public safety agencies. These additional solutions ensure that law enforcement can effectively respond to any situation, even when 5G network slicing is not available.

Priority and Pre-emption Keep First Responders Connected Even in Areas of High Network Demand

During large events, networks can become overwhelmed by the number of devices vying for access. This means some devices will lose connectivity or struggle to maintain a reliable connection.

One way to ensure public devices can access and maintain connectivity is priority and pre-emption (P&P). P&P allows public devices (equipped with Verizon’s public safety plan) to take priority and even pre-empt commercial devices to access both 4G and 5G mobile networks. This makes sure public safety officers always have access to mobile networks, regardless of the size of the crowd.

Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team (CRT) Boosts Capacity During Major Events

During major events and emergencies, regular mobile networks may not be sufficient to provide the level of connectivity that first responders require. Responding to these situations are what the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team (CRT) was designed to do. Verizon CRT uses many types of hardware to provide additional mobile connectivity, including:

• Drones
• Tether drones
• Cells on Wheels (COWs)
• Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs)

These allow for quick and effective response to any situation, from planned large events such as festivals to unplanned events like disaster response.

Panasonic Connect’s Strong Relationship with First Responders

Technology is always evolving. The ways departments choose to deploy police technology evolve as well. To make sure that new police technology can best meet the needs of first responders on the ground, it is imperative for technology partners to work hand in hand with law enforcement agencies to develop tech designed for the unique needs of law enforcement.

To better achieve this goal, Panasonic Connect founded and sponsors the Law Enforcement Advisory Council (LEAC). LEAC is a national forum that establishes and nourishes an ongoing relationship between Panasonic Connect and various law enforcement agencies. This relationship enables ongoing conversation, enhancing knowledge and encouraging faster and more effective innovation in the future.

Some of the advantages seen through the LEAC partnership include:

Better and faster decision making, leading to more effective results.

• Advances in technological knowledge among law enforcement partners, preparing them to have more effective conversations when procuring new hardware or dealing with other tech partners.

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK Police Technology Is Designed to Meet the Needs of Public Safety Professionals

Panasonic Connect is proud to be a trusted technology partner of public safety agencies. As technology advances with new innovations such as AI, the reliable connectivity of police technology will become even more vital to effective public safety response. Our ongoing relationship with law enforcement means we will be well equipped to provide the solutions first responders need to meet any situation.

To learn more about how Panasonic Connect and Verizon are working to ensure reliable connectivity, check out this on-demand webinar: Beyond the Call: Critical Tech for Today's First Responder.