By William Tauro
It may look like a scene out of a futuristic police movie, but it’s actually an Urban Area Security Initiative Command Center on wheels!
The U.A.S.I. Command Center will be stationed out in front of the Somerville Police Department for the next 3-4 weeks while the police station’s Emergency 911 Operation Center gets a total rehab and refitted into the 21st century with state-of-the-art technology and modern equipment needed to fight crime in this modern day and age.
The vehicle is owned by the Massachusetts State 911 Department that falls under the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security.
The UASI program focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas, and directly supports the national priority of expanding regional collaboration in the National Preparedness Guidelines. Using this funding, the MBHSR outlines regional homeland security goals, objectives, tasks and projects for member communities. By providing financial assistance to address the unique multidisciplinary planning, organization, equipment, training and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density Urban Areas, the UASI program assists them in building capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism.
Replacing the old outdated Somerville Emergency-911 center with a state of the art Emergency-911 Center technology was made possible with the assistance of our local, regional and state partners, Mayor Joseph Curtatone, Somerville Police Chief Dave Fallon, DPW Commissioner Stan Koty and the City of Somerville.
The project will take approximately three to four weeks and is being coordinated by Somerville Police Captain Dan Cotter.
