Public Safety Communications Network & DTRS

The Public Safety Communications Network includes the Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS). DTRS provides a near seamless statewide wireless system that enables emergency and operational direct communications between first responder / public safety agencies across jurisdictional and regional boundaries. Over 1,000 local, county, state, tribal, and federal agencies, and over 121,000 subscriber units use this system as their primary and mutual-aid communications solution. DTRS provides the largest coverage area of any communications system within the State of Colorado, with ~95% of state highways having mobile coverage. This includes all cellular and private communications system providers.

• System hardware and software licensing, upgrade, maintenance.

• Maintenance of state dispatch centers, 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP).

• Engineering, design, technical and administrative support personnel required to manage and maintain this critical system.

• Statewide public safety communications coverage and mutual-aid availability.

• PSCN technical staff provide programming, installation, and repair of mobile (vehicle) and portable (handheld) radios for all participating state agencies.

• DTRS mountaintop transmitters, towers, installation, programming, maintenance, restoration support.

• Talk-group creation, assignment, management. 

• Mutual Aid Channel (MAC) assignment, management.

• System monitoring, network operations center monitoring (NOC).

• FCC, FAA, frequency management, coordination, compliance.

• DTRS system security, perimeter, intrusion, monitoring, support, maintenance and upgrade. 

• Geographically and strategically located maintenance shops across the state to ensure an immediate response to alarm notifications of any system component trouble or failure.

• PSCN engineering staff provide support for state as well as local agencies surrounding complex coverage and path study predictions, transmitter site design and development, FCC licensing and coordination, and FAA compliance. 

• PSCN negotiates and manages land leases, permits, rights of way, and easements for all state transmitter sites located on private, public, federal, and tribal lands. A member of our team sits on a number of committees and user groups, and fulfills the Emergency Support Function #2 (Communications) in the State Emergency Operation Center. 

• PSCN team also provides support, service, and maintenance for the network of VHF repeaters across the state. This network of VHF repeaters serves to provide state agencies with a means of interoperable communications in some of the state’s remote areas and areas with difficult terrain where DTRS coverage is not optimal or may be unavailable. 

We work to meet the following resolution times for 90% of incidents within reasonable weather/safety considerations and geographic constraints:

1. Priority 1 High and/or Service Outage: Goal is to resolve within four hours

2. Priority 2 Medium: Goal is to resolve within 24 hours, but no more than three business days

3. Priority 3 Low: Goal is to resolve within five business days, but no more than 10 business days