Grant to Help Nebraska Air Unit Communicate

The Omaha, Neb. Police Air Support Unit has received a $25,000 grant to aid interoperable communications among air and ground police units, KETV television reports. The TV station said the Iowa West Assn presented the money to purchase interoperable radios for two newly purchased helicopters.The association awarded the grant because Omaha police helicopters are often used in a mutual aid role to other jurisdictions. Police told the TV station  it is critical for police on the ground and in the air to be about to communicate on radios wired the same way. The grant will be used to purchase radios that have the ability to access public safety frequencies from across the metro area and beyond, it said, and allow the officer in the helicopter to patch different public safety radios in an emergency.