Public Safety Resources

Please Note: The Department of Commerce does not endorse any particular product, company, information provider, or the content of the sites referenced below.

Government

Federal Communications Commission
Non-Federal users of spectrum resources including private industry and state and local governments operate under the auspices of the Federal Communication Commission. Operating bureaus within the FCC — Mass Media, Private Radio, and Common Carrier — make frequency assignment decisions.
United States Department of Commerce: NTIA, Spectrum Management Division, Public Safety Program Office.
The Public Safety Program was established to coordinate the various spectrum and telecommunications related activities and programs within the Federal Government as it relates to public safety.
United States Department of Justice
The Department of Justice provides grants and funding for a variety of public safety-related programs. Follow links to "Community Support and Grants" on their Internet Web site.

Associations and Non-profits

(www.apcointl.org) Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
APCO fosters the development and progress of the art of public safety communications by means of research, planning, training and education; promote cooperation between towns, cities, counties, states, and federal public safety agencies in the area of communications; represent its members before communications regulatory agencies and policy-making bodies as may be appropriate; and through its efforts strive toward the end that the safety of human life, the protection of property and the civic welfare are benefitted to the utmost degree; and aid and assist in the rapid and accurate collection, exchange and dissemination of information relating to emergencies and other vital public safety functions.
Community Policing Consortium
The Community Policing Consortium is a partnership of five of the leading police organizations in the United States:

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)

National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)

Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)

Police Foundation

These five organizations play a principal role in the development of community policing research, training, and technical assistance, and each is firmly committed to the advancement of this policing philosophy.
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
The International Association of Chiefs of Police is the world's senior law enforcement executive association. Founded in 1893, IACP comprises over 14,000 members representing 80 different nations. IACP is guided by an advisory board of 52 police executives representing international, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. This group provides policy direction to the professional staff and the association's diverse working groups, divisions, committees, and sections comprised of the heads of law enforcement agencies from throughout the world. The groups address contemporary issues facing law enforcement. IACP represents a commonwealth of police administrators from the world law enforcement community.
National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
The National Volunteer Fire Council is a non-profit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, ems, and rescue services. Organized in 1976 , the NVFC serves as the information source for the emergency services. The NVFC is the volunteer fire service's representative, not only in the national policy arena, but also on numerous national and international committees and organizations.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) is an extensive source of information on criminal and juvenile justice. NCJRS is a collection of clearinghouses supporting all bureaus of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs: the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the Office for Victims of Crime. It also supports the Office of National Drug Control Policy.