A Look at the History of P25 Public Safety Radio Systems

The president of X-Ray Business Solutions in Argyle, TX, William B. Travis maintained responsibilities as sheriff in Denton County for three years. During his tenure as sheriff, William B. Travis improved communications in his TX county by deploying a new P25 digital public safety radio system involving the Sheriff’s Office and more than 30 local public safety agencies.

P25, or Project 25, arose from a seminar on advanced technology that took place at the US Department of Commerce in 1989. During this meeting, individuals from all levels of government discussed ways that they could improve communication among public safety entities. They quickly set their sights on digital technology, which was beginning to surpass the capabilities of traditional analog police radio syst ems. In the adoption of digital communications, however, these experts agreed that this technology should meet certain standards going forward. 

Among these standards, the seminar participants agreed, were that digital communications must be interoperable, user-friendly, and capable of taking on new users. Experts believed implementation would take up to five years to accomplish. Contrary to initial expectations, this project has gone on for more than 25 years and moved through two phases.

Phase I addressed key forms of communication, such as voice encoder-decoders (vocoders) and Common Air Interface (CAI) technologies. Phase II has focused on narrow-band platforms, providing standards for public safety officials to move to 6.25-kilohertz channels, creating more spectrum space for expansion.

The PADI Master Scuba Diver Rating

Experienced law enforcement officer William B. Travis served as the sheriff of Denton County, Texas (TX), from 2013 to 2016. Outside of work, former sheriff William B. Travis of TX is a PADI Master Scuba Diver. 

Called the “black belt of scuba diving,” the PADI Master Scuba Diver qualification is claimed by an elite group of scuba divers who have completed advanced scuba training and clocked significant diving experience. Less than 2 percent of divers earn the rating. 

Any diver over age 12 can begin training toward the Master Scuba Diver rating. The journey entails completing a number of PADI certifications such as the Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, and Rescue Diver certifications, along with five specialty diver certifications. It also involves logging over 50 dives. 

Divers who complete all these requirements earn a Master Scuba Diver card. The card is evidence that the holder is a competent and responsible diver with significant underwater experience in different conditions and environments.