Public Safety Information Sharing

When we think of public safety, we think of law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical services. What we don’t often think about is how they work together and how they share information to prevent and protect us from events that could endanger our safety.

Most often, the systems in use today for sharing information are either paper-based or use verbal communications; both are slow and inefficient, and cost emergency providers precious minutes when they are racing against time to protect lives and property. The IJIS Institute and our members are changing that paradigm by sponsoring and participating in committees and projects to implement and enhance data interoperability within the public safety community and government agencies.

The nation has been discussing data interoperability for many years, and progress is evolving through the use of information sharing standards, including the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). Helping agencies implement NIEM is the focus of many of our projects. NIEM is designed to support enterprise-wide information exchange standards and processes that can enable jurisdictions to effectively share critical information in emergency situations, across domains, as well as support the day-to-day operations of agencies throughout the nation.

Current Projects/Efforts

Unified Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Functional Specifications Project (co-managed by APCO )
IPSTSC Advisory Committee

Completed Projects

Public Safety Data Interoperability Program (PSDIP) (co-managed by APCO )
Intelligent Transportation Systems/Public Safety Information Sharing Project (ITS/PS Project)
Law Enforcement CAD & RMS Functional Specifications Project
CAD Reference IEPD Development
RMS Reference IEPD Development
External Alarm Interface IEPD Development

Sponsors (Current & Past Projects)

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Accomplishments

Supported and/or developed numerous reference data exchanges (IEPDs) to support information sharing between computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, law enforcement and jail records management systems (RMS), transportation systems, and dispatch systems
Contributed to the functional specifications for RMS
Contributed to the Standard Functional Specifications for Law Enforcement Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Systems
Contributed to the Standard Functional Specifications for Law Enforcement Records Management Systems (RMS)
Provided support to federal agencies and initiatives via the IJIS Public Safety Technology Standards Committee (IPSTSC)
Managed several pilot implementations, projects, and work groups
Developed numerous whitepapers and technical reports

Deliverables

Unified Computer Aided Dispatch Project Final Report (2012.10.11)
Unified Computer-Aided Dispatch Functional Requirements (UCADFR) (2012.08.17)
Recommendation for the Maintenance of the Unified CAD Functional Requirements Document (2012.07.18)
High Priority Information Sharing Needs for Emergency Communications and First Responders (2012.06.25)
White Paper Data Sharing Between CADs (2011.10.12)
PSDI Project Final Report (2010.08.12)
PDF file icon Standardized Interfaces and Exchanges for Justice and Public Safety (May 2010)
Revision Assessment for the Incorporation of Fire and EMS Functions into the Law Enforcement CAD Functional Specifications (2010.01.28)
Law Enforcement RMS Functional Specifications
RMS Reference IEPD Development
PDF file icon NIEM Conformance for RFPs (2009.10.28)
Guide to Information Sharing and Data Interoperability for Local Communications Centers (2009.08.14)
Priority Data Exchanges for Local Communications Centers (2009.08.14)
ITS/PS Information Exchange Project Final Report (2009.06.30)
External Alarm Interface IEPD (2009.01.15)
Validation Testing Report of 12 ITS/PS Data Exchanges (2009.01.13)
icon: zip file ITS/PS Information Exchanges IEPD (2008.10.01). This single IEPD includes artifacts for all 12 ITS/PS exchanges developed in the project.
pdf icon GJXDM/IEEE 1512 Compatibility Analysis Report (2007.03.28)

This Web site is funded in whole or in part through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this Web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).

The IJIS Institute and APCO International co-manage the Unified Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Functional Specifications Project. The project working group includes practitioners from communications, law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, emergency management, and transportation.

The IJIS Institute, working with APCO International, the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), and IJIS Institute member company Waterhole Software, developed the latest External Alarm Interface Exchange. This exchange increases dispatch accuracy and reduces response times to emergency alarm events.

IJIS Institute member company representatives make up the IJIS Public Safety Technology Standards Committee (IPSTSC). The committee provides advice and work products on national initiatives to federal agencies and other interested organizations.

Public safety information sharing outputs include GJXDM and NIEM data exchanges (IEPDs) to support information sharing between computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, law enforcement and jail records management systems (RMS), transportation systems, and dispatch systems.