Updated September 24, 2010

Pearl River Louisiana
Police Chief Advocates Virtual Command
In Reelection Campaign

Recently, the St. Tammany News, in St. Tammany Parish Louisiana interviewed several police chief candidates. One of the candidates was a strong supporter of Virtual Command Technology. The following abstracted interview reflects Police Chief Bennie Raynor's view and plans.

Benjamin “Bennie” Raynor has been chief of police in Pearl River for 28 years. He is seeking his ninth term of office. Prior to serving as chief, he worked three years as an officer with the department and prior to that he worked as a reserve with the Sheriff’s Office. He has lived in Pearl River since the early 1980s.

What is your law enforcement experience and are you post certified? What other certifications do you hold? Law enforcement experience over 31 years - Three years with St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office Reserves; three years as officer with Pearl River, then 28 years certified post 1980, also certifications in jail standards and management, homicide investigation, hostage negotiations, bomb technical traning, ATF and SWAT training.

What kind of technology do you think the department should take advantage of and use, and how would you propose funding it? I would like to fund virtual command technology with grants. With virtual command technology officers no longer have to go in blind to a incident such as active shooters or robbery. I know this sounds like a TV show but East Baton Rouge Parish has this technology in place.

Updated September 5, 2010

Rick Russotti Interviews NetTalon
on Mitigation Journal PodCast

The purpose of Mitigation Journal is to share information across disciplines - traditional and non-traditional responders. The journal looks at identified threats and future potentials; delivering the information so its meaningful every day...not just when the “big one” hits.

     

Mitigation Journal started with a blog in November 2005 - which continues today- and evolved into the podcast in December 2006. The number of readers and listeners continues to grow and Mitigation Journal Podcast is listened to by thousands of emergency responders and agency leaders each week. Based in Rochester, NY, Mitigation Journal is read and heard in several countries outside of the United Sates.

Rick Russotti is the host and producer of Mitigation Journal. Rick retired in 2009 as a Battalion Chief after twenty-one years of service and continues to work as a paramedic in Monroe County. Rick is a featured speaker at regional EMS conferences as well as training sessions across the country sponsored by the Public Health Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and National Association of City and County Health Officials.

Look at NetTalon and how they save lives of responders and civilians
by Rick Russotti

We're all about situational awareness. Numerous articles and sources have talked about the use of civilians as forward observers...that is, those who are engaged in a situation being part of the solution be providing first-hand data to responders. The best example of this is the cell phone videos that make it to mainstream media; those videos taken by civilians who are actually there and perhaps in harms way. Even more recently we've discussed how many 9-1-1 dispatch centers were now accepting emergency calls via text messaging. Suffice to say, those in the midst of a situation have technology available to get important data out to responders.

What about taking that accidental intel gathering and making it more sophisticated, real-time, without putting anyone in harms way? Interested? Well, that is exactly what NetTalon has done with their Virtual Command Incident Management technology. Also known as NetTalon System 3000, this command system allows for immediate notification of an event and faster dispatch of appropriate resources. They also integrate any pre-incident plans for a given location. There is a viewing component that keeps responders situational aware at a near real-time pace; who is under attack, who is safe or in an area of refuge...The Virtual Command technology also sets responder up for success by encouraging incident planning en-route a faster execution of strategy upon arrival.

I had an opportunity to have Donald Jones, Director of Corporate Development, and Ronald DuBois, Director of Administration and Finance at NetTalon join me on Mitigation Journal Podcast edition 187 for an in-depth look at NetTalon and the Virtual Command technology. What you'll hear on Mitigation Journal Podcast this week is perhaps the most invigorating news on the topic of threat mitigation I've heard in a long time.

Listen to Rick Russotti interview NetTalon on Virtual Command

Updated July 30, 2010

NetTalon Demonstrates Virtual Command
at 37th Annual Conference
Louisiana Assocation Chiefs of Police

NetTalon successfully demonstrated Virtual Command Technology at the 37th Annual Conference of the Louisiana Association Chiefs of Police on July 20-22 in Lake Charles, LA. The conference is hosted by Chief Carlos Stout, Carenco Police Department and the L'Auberge du Lac Casino Resort.

NetTalon and American Integration Contractors are Platinum Sponsors of the Annual Conference and Trade Show. Technology discussed include the Baton Rouge Virtual Command Network, the Virtual Command Starter Package and Safe Room Technology.