The Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) provides state law enforcement agencies with a communications system that uses a single series of frequencies, thereby allowing inter-agency communication. In 2000, the state negotiated a contract with M/A-Com to exchange its radio tower assets for $25.5 million in radio equipment credits. When the Joint Task Force began to allocate credits to agencies, it distributed credits to both sworn and non-sworn officers; however, five agencies were short 185 radios for sworn officers. Since 2002, the Joint Task Force has allocated credits to better meet the needs of most sworn officers but is still short 335 radios due to an increased need by the Department of Corrections. While the initial set of radios has been purchased using radio credits and agency funds, the state will need to spend $5.6 million over the next six years to fund maintenance costs.
The Joint Dispatch System is composed of regional dispatch centers handling incoming calls for most agencies using the SLERS system. Prior to 2002, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission operated its own network of dispatch centers at an annual cost of $3.4 million. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has consolidated three dispatch centers with the Joint Dispatch centers attaining significant cost savings of over $600,000.

No Title
Report 02-71
911 Call Center Training in Florida Varies; Options Exist for Creating Minimum Standards
Report 10-12 January 2010

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.