In every law enforcement operation, situational awareness and communication are critical to achieving a safe outcome for officers and other parties involved. This was a sentiment shared by Charlie Guddemi, the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s (HSEMA) Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC), in a recent editorial he

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Border Security Expo, which brings together senior law enforcement leaders and experts with the private industry partners that help them defend our nation. This year’s event was strategically held in El Paso, Texas, the home of the Joint Task

In our last article on The Last Mile, we took a detailed look at the dangers U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers face along the country’s maritime borders and at its ports of entry. We also explored the logistical, operational, and communications challenges they

If asked where the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) predominantly operates, most Americans would immediately respond, “The southern border.” That’s because there is no lack of movies, news reports, and television shows that have depicted America’s southern border as a lawless area constantly being traversed by smugglers and

There have been more than 12,000 drug seizures at U.S. borders in the first three months of Fiscal Year 2023 alone. In that same period, there have been more than 860,000 enforcement actions undertaken by the agency. All of this comes at a time when the United States is seeing

Those who operate in austere, geographically isolated areas outside of a cell service bubble need reliable communications for the duration of their mission. They’re either battling wildfires, searching for missing people, or monitoring border activity across huge swaths of land. Traditionally, the only way to have continuous coverage for situational

Border Patrol agents are often isolated – with miles separating them from their closest allies and backup. They also operate in regions where cellular networks are scarce, radio service can be spotty, and communications between agents can be challenging at best. To learn more about the life of a Border

One of the recurring challenges that the government – at all levels – has faced for as long as many can remember is the need to accomplish massive missions with few resources. To combat that challenge, the government is increasingly turning to technology to better expend taxpayer resources by bridging

Digital transformation has been a leading trend across the federal government and military for the better part of the past decade. These digital transformation initiatives have resulted in an increased reliance on network-connected and network-enabled systems, applications, and platforms – making connectivity even more important and necessary for government organizations

In my last article on The Last Mile, I looked at the unique communications challenges that exist at the northern border between the U.S. and Canada, which is increasingly important right now with the border closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it’s not the only border in need of