Talking across frontiers: Building communication between emergency services

Abstract:

Increased cross-border interaction between the police units at the frontiers of the sovereign nations within the European Union is an inevitable consequence of the relaxation of border controls. A multi-layered framework for European police other public service co-operation, involving the familiar centralised communication channels and dynamic activity at frontier zones, is required to accommodate it. This article concentrates upon the practicality of performing direct cross-border public service interaction accommodating different languages, incompatible technologies, varied working practices, contrasting administrations and authority structures. Three multinational projects in the English Channel region are reported here, dealing with bi-national police and emergency service co-operation and communications systems.