Broadband Tools Strengthen Rose Parade Security

Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) joined law enforcement, fire and emergency response personnel in using the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System’s (LA-RICS) private 4G broadband network during the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade, adding new communications capabilities and elevating situational awareness for first responders.

Motorola Solutions built the network for LA-RICS, and it remains the largest U.S. broadband network dedicated for public safety. During the parade the network provided the latest long term evolution (LTE)-empowered tools for many of the 1,500 responders who protected more than 750,000 onlookers in Pasadena, California, spread over a 5.5-mile parade route.

Building on last year’s successful broadband demonstration during the parade, LA-RICS and Motorola Solutions deployed a wide range of technology for this year’s parade. High-definition camera feeds, broadband-equipped handheld devices and software applications worked together to enable improved information sharing and communication through voice, data, pictures and video.

“Protecting this parade brought together public safety agencies from around the Los Angeles County region, and our broadband network provided a strong backbone to let them do their jobs even more effectively,” said John Radeleff, interim executive director, LA-RICS. “This deployment helped public safety teams stay in touch no matter what type of radio or device they used, helped the command center staff keep close track of resources and personnel, and ultimately kept the parade-watching public safer than ever before.”

Motorola Solutions supported LA-RICS, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department along with other local and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies that jointly deployed to protect one of the region’s largest public events. LA-RICS noted the successful deployment in its own news release.

Participants used Motorola Solutions APX™-series radios on an ASTRO® 25 land mobile radio (LMR) network along with the broadband functions of LA-RICS to establish interoperable communications and seamless data sharing. Public safety responders also used Motorola Solutions’ LEX L10 Mission Critical LTE Handheld devices, VML 750 trunk-mount modems and a variety of software tools on the network to enhance situational awareness at the parade.

Deputies and officers on the parade route communicated quickly and clearly in specific talkgroups using WAVE™ 5000 Work Group Communications software that seamlessly and securely linked LMR and LTE devices across the LA-RICS network. WAVE’s push-to-talk function allowed agencies to easily customize talkgroups for each parade security zone, whether responders were using broadband smartphones, LMR radios or other devices.

“As the country moves closer to starting construction on a national broadband public safety network, we understand the advantages public safety agencies can achieve using broadband technology during events such as LA-RICS deploying at the Rose Parade,” said Travis Boettcher, vice president of sales, Motorola Solutions. “Our software, managed services and LTE-enabled devices help public safety agencies realize the immense potential broadband has to both keep first responders safe and help them do their jobs even more effectively.”

The current LA-RICS system, built with Motorola Solutions strategic partner Ericsson, has more than 70 LTE towers and will have a growing number of LMR sites to boost the overall system’s appeal to public safety agencies as more towers are added. LA-RICS represents the largest of the Early Builder projects that are part of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). As the prime contractor for LA-RICS, Motorola Solutions continues its global leadership in creating public safety broadband networks that complement existing LMR infrastructure.

Photo: Coursetey of Prayitno