Airwave: ‘a 21st century tool to fight 21st century crime’: Home Office minister Caroline Flint
Please see:
http://www.tetrawatch.net/tetra/special1.php
Comments welcome
Andy
--------
Sunday Express article by Andrea Perry Crime Editor
Tube victim doomed by shambles of police radios that will not work under ground
Para 1. The probe into the tragic shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes took a new twist when it emerged that police marksmen would have been unable to receive orders from their commanders - because their radios do not work on the Underground
Para 3 & 4. We have also learnt that the anti-terror teams involved have 3 different types of radio - and were unable to communicate with each other. What is more, the MetRadio system used by London's police will not work at 123 stations on the capital's Underground rail system. And our disclosure that Sir Ian Blair is the driving force behind a project to improve radio communications that could end up costing as much as £300million will increase pressure on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to sort out the current mess.
Para 7 - 9. A police source revealed:"It would appear that there was one radio in use for the CO19 firearms officers, one set for the British Transport Police, a third set for the specialised Army group. I don't know which system the surveillence teams would have been using, but in each case, the communications went back to Gold Command and were then relayed to different groups. It seems ludicrous that the various groups of officers involved in the operation to tail de Menezes were not in contact with one another"
Para 11 & 12 This month the Met signed a new £36million contract to upgrade its radio to a new Airwave digital system - but officers still won't be able to communicate underground. London Underground is also upgrading its radio system but it would take a further £140million and two years to make it compatible with police radios.
Para 15 & 16. It has also emerged that the Met's plans to run a new communication system to run alongside the police Airwave set up is also running late because of technical hitches. The Command, Control and Communication Centre has had to be delayed a further 12 months because of "software compatibility" problems. That could mean a £300million bill.
Para 19 The official level of threat to Britain from a terrorist attack has been lowered for the first time since the July 7th bombings, it was reported last night.
Sandi
and
Mail on Sunday. Article from Peter Hitchens
From humble Peelers to stormtroops of the State
Last paragraph:
"The question arises: What are the police now? They used to be civilians in uniform, sworn to uphold the law on behalf of the rest of us. Now they are an arm of the New Labour State, secretive, armed, contemptuous of the public they supposedly serve and determined to enforce the Blairite dogmas of political correctness. it is forgotten now that Parliament resisted the idea of even having a police force for decades. Many feared that such a body would turn into an engine of tyranny, as it has done on the Continent. Robert Peel's brilliant idea of an unarmed, modestly uniformed, localised force, whose main job to patrol on foot, overcame their doubts. But Peel's ideas have been cast aside. Now they swagger about with Tommy guns, dressed like stormtroopers and glowering. Few see them as any protection or help in distress, and they have the nerve to tell us what we can and cannot say. Do we now see the fears of 200 years ago coming true? I very much fear we do."
Sandi
--------
Andy,
I have often seen comments that Tetra is inferior to the system used in France (which is also cheaper than Tetra). It certainly seems to cause dreadful health effects, not only in Policemen using the handsets, but amongst residents living near police stations - symptoms I have seen mentioned: insomnia, headaches and nosebleeds) latter particularly amongst children. Amongst the police symptoms have included insomnia, headaches, nausea and vertigo and also cancer of the throat and areas in contact with handsets are thought to have been associated with the Tetra system.
Gill Lyden
http://www.tetrawatch.net/tetra/special1.php
Comments welcome
Andy
--------
Sunday Express article by Andrea Perry Crime Editor
Tube victim doomed by shambles of police radios that will not work under ground
Para 1. The probe into the tragic shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes took a new twist when it emerged that police marksmen would have been unable to receive orders from their commanders - because their radios do not work on the Underground
Para 3 & 4. We have also learnt that the anti-terror teams involved have 3 different types of radio - and were unable to communicate with each other. What is more, the MetRadio system used by London's police will not work at 123 stations on the capital's Underground rail system. And our disclosure that Sir Ian Blair is the driving force behind a project to improve radio communications that could end up costing as much as £300million will increase pressure on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to sort out the current mess.
Para 7 - 9. A police source revealed:"It would appear that there was one radio in use for the CO19 firearms officers, one set for the British Transport Police, a third set for the specialised Army group. I don't know which system the surveillence teams would have been using, but in each case, the communications went back to Gold Command and were then relayed to different groups. It seems ludicrous that the various groups of officers involved in the operation to tail de Menezes were not in contact with one another"
Para 11 & 12 This month the Met signed a new £36million contract to upgrade its radio to a new Airwave digital system - but officers still won't be able to communicate underground. London Underground is also upgrading its radio system but it would take a further £140million and two years to make it compatible with police radios.
Para 15 & 16. It has also emerged that the Met's plans to run a new communication system to run alongside the police Airwave set up is also running late because of technical hitches. The Command, Control and Communication Centre has had to be delayed a further 12 months because of "software compatibility" problems. That could mean a £300million bill.
Para 19 The official level of threat to Britain from a terrorist attack has been lowered for the first time since the July 7th bombings, it was reported last night.
Sandi
and
Mail on Sunday. Article from Peter Hitchens
From humble Peelers to stormtroops of the State
Last paragraph:
"The question arises: What are the police now? They used to be civilians in uniform, sworn to uphold the law on behalf of the rest of us. Now they are an arm of the New Labour State, secretive, armed, contemptuous of the public they supposedly serve and determined to enforce the Blairite dogmas of political correctness. it is forgotten now that Parliament resisted the idea of even having a police force for decades. Many feared that such a body would turn into an engine of tyranny, as it has done on the Continent. Robert Peel's brilliant idea of an unarmed, modestly uniformed, localised force, whose main job to patrol on foot, overcame their doubts. But Peel's ideas have been cast aside. Now they swagger about with Tommy guns, dressed like stormtroopers and glowering. Few see them as any protection or help in distress, and they have the nerve to tell us what we can and cannot say. Do we now see the fears of 200 years ago coming true? I very much fear we do."
Sandi
--------
Andy,
I have often seen comments that Tetra is inferior to the system used in France (which is also cheaper than Tetra). It certainly seems to cause dreadful health effects, not only in Policemen using the handsets, but amongst residents living near police stations - symptoms I have seen mentioned: insomnia, headaches and nosebleeds) latter particularly amongst children. Amongst the police symptoms have included insomnia, headaches, nausea and vertigo and also cancer of the throat and areas in contact with handsets are thought to have been associated with the Tetra system.
Gill Lyden
Starmail - 21. Aug, 14:07
