COPS Interoperable 
Communications Technology 
Program (ICTP) 

Mike Dame, Supervisory 
Senior Policy Analyst 


Program History

• Investments made by the COPS Office for 
discretionary interoperability 
grants: 

•FY 2003 Program -- $66.5 
million awarded to 14 
jurisdictions 
•FY 2004 -- $82.6 million 
awarded to 23 jurisdictions 


COPS ICTP Grants – FY ‘03 & ‘04


Image os US Map with grant locations highlighted



Purpose

•Award technology grants 
to law enforcement for
the purpose of enhancing 
public safety wireless 
voice interoperability and 
data information sharing. 







Program Characteristics

• Regional Projects 
• Multi-jurisdictional 
• Multidisciplinary 
• Strong governance structure and sound project management 
• Grant-in-aid 
• 25% local cash match 
• Federal cap of $6 million 
• Targeted program using Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) 
• Large and smaller population centers





Federal Partnerships 

• Since 2003, the COPS Office 
has coordinated closely with 
the following organizations: 

• Office of Justice Programs (NIJ and BJA) 
• DOJ High Risk Metropolitan Areas
Interoperability Project (25 Cities)
• SAFECOM, program within DHS 
• NIST 
• Office of State and Local Government 
Coordination and Preparedness (formerly ODP) 
• FEMA 


COPS Examples of COPS-funded Projects

Central Maryland Area Regional 
Communications Project (CMARC) 

Seals of CMARC agencies funded by project




CMARC -Background 

• The Central Maryland Area Regional 
Communications Project includes six 
Maryland counties plus the cities of 
Baltimore and Annapolis 

• $5.1 million COPS grant awarded in 
2003 

• Strong governance structure 

• Prior incidents motivated pre-
planning and regional cooperation 

• Executive sponsorship at the elected official level 


 
CMARC -Project Description 

• Building on existing infrastructure

• All counties have existing 800 MHz radio systems 

• Using national calling and tactical channels 

• Unifies the incident command system involving mutual aid 
responses in day-to-day events plus critical incidents 


COPS Another Example... 

Colorado Springs, CO and Pikes Peak 
Regional Communications Network 

Seals of agencies in the Regional Communications Network



PPRCN -Geography

Map of Colorado counties with El Paso County highlighted



PPRCN -Topography

Topographical map of Colorado counties with El Paso County highlighted



PPRCN -Background 

• This project is a partnership of the 
City of Colorado Springs, El Paso 
County, CO and Pikes Peak 
Regional Communications Network, 
which already existed as a 
regional communications system. 

• $4.5 million COPS grant awarded 
in September 2004 

• Large military presence in the area
(Fort Carson, NORAD, NorthCom, USAF
Academy and two additional airbases)


PPRCN -Project Description 

• The region already operates a 800 MHz 
trunked system 

• The project will upgrade the system to P25 
compliance and upgrade portable radios 

• The new project will allow interoperability 
with the local military installations 

• The Pikes Peak region will have the 
capability to integrate into the State’s 800 
MHz P25 public safety radio system 

• It will provide interoperability for first 
responders to manage mutual aid calls on a 
day-to-day basis and for critical incidents 
outside of their communications network 




FY 2005 Funding 

• The COPS Office was appropriated over 
$90 million in FY 2005 for our 
Interoperable Communications Program 

• In the past 2 weeks, we invited 138 
targeted regions using MSAs again to 
apply for this funding, which is similar to 
the FY 2004 program 

• The deadline for proposals is July 15, 
2005 

• We expect to fund approximately 25-30 
jurisdictions with multi-jurisdictional and 
multidisciplinary interoperability projects 



Contact Information 

Michael E. Dame 

U.S. Department of Justice 
COPS Office 

(202) 305-7541 
michael.dame2@usdoj.gov