To do this, operators attend simulated exercises to determine how tech will perform during a real-world incident. In 2016, several S&T groups joined the New York City Police Department and the Fire Department of New York in an active shooter exercise to test responder technologies and coordination skills. S&T’s role was to assess whether new tools and equipment operated as intended and to identify potential capabilities that could be developed in the future.
S&T and its ALERT Center of Excellence participated in a similar exercise with the Boston Police Department, observing how responders used technologies to improve shot detection, situational awareness, explosives detection and countering unmanned aerial systems during a simulated active shooter incident in a stadium environment. Specially trained canine units from Amtrak and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also assessed.
We then traveled to the desert in July 2016 to test how electronic jamming impacts first responder communications, which resulted in several mitigation tactics. The data from these exercises informs S&T’s efforts to continuously improve response capabilities through trusted analysis and recommendations.
