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RCED-84-158 1 (1984-08-23)

handle is hein.gao/gaobabeth0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 

                  by the Office of Congressional Relations, .- RE,4E


BY THE U,S, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE



Report To The Honorable Pete Wilson

United States Senate






The Los Angeles County Sheriff's

Request For Radio Frequencies



In September 1981, the Los Argeles County Sheriff petitioned the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) for additional radio frequencies to alle-
viate what he maintained were serious deficiencies in his communications
system and those of other police and fire departments. The Sheriff originally
proposed that FCC transfer frequencies from UHF television to public safety
agencies for nationwide emergency communications. Subsequently, the
Sheriff modified his proposal and suggested that possibilities existed for more
sharing of UHF frequencies between public safety and broadcasting.
Ar evaluation of the Sheriff's immediate problems and public safety's
nationwide, long-term needs is difficult. Sufficient data to document and
moasure them are lacking, and generally accepted criteria on what constitutes
adequate emergency communications have not been developed.

Feasible solutions acceptable to both the Sheriff and broadcasters are unlikely.
The UHF band is a valuable portion of the radio frequency spectrum, and the
broadcasting industry is strongly opposed to surrendering some of it to public
sgfety agencies. Moreover, considerable disagreement about technical
solutions has been expressed. The broadcasting industry's claims that new
technology can solve public safety's communication problems without ad-
ditional frequencies from UHF television have proven especially controversial.

  /FC has been evaluating the Sheriff's immediate needs and plans to respond
di'ring the summer of 1984. Additionally, FCC has recently initiated a study of
present and future communications requirements of the nation's public safety
a encies which it expects to complete in 1985.




                                                                   125112



              ,                           ,                       GAO/RCED-84-1 58


AUGUST 23, 1984


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