Malabar Special Police (MSP) and Special Armed Police (SAP) in Kerala where using HF Morse Communication System before the Independence of India. Since, 1956 MSP and SAP Signal Units were renamed as Radio Wing of Kerala Police.
 

 During 1974 it was reconstituted with a Staff pattern and    named as Kerala  Police Telecommunication and extended HF (CW-Morse   Code Communication) through the State for District Headquarters and other important Station. In addition to HF  communication   for the easiness of Voice Communication VHF (Very High Frequency) system has been provided. To achieve this and a State wide coverage different higher altitude hilly locations in the State were installed and functioning its Repeater Stations like Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram, Sankumala in Idukki, Nelliyampathy in Palakkad, Kurichiyermala in Wayanad and Mavungal in Kasaragod.

Subsequently for the usage of District wise Traffic and Law & Order 70 Local Repeater Stations in the highest locations also provided and functioning. In VHF band itself Department is using Low band and High band frequencies- reserved for Police forces.
          Considering to the demand of voice communication channels and other constrains in VHF, Department also obtained license for UHF (Ultra High Frequency) operations in some major towns of the Kerala and functioning.
          All the above 3 categories of VHF and UHF are locally made possible to their inter working by using our own assembled simple patching circuitries. Therefore a handheld walkie-talkie of 4 Watts power output of transmission at Thiruvananthapuram HQ, is made possible to talk with another small set at Kasaragode the farthest district in the State or any other districts at once.

          In 1979 Tele Printer (TP) system has been provided through DoT leased lines. In 2003 TP has replaced with modern Computer Communication WAN network called CoB (Communication Back Bone) using BSNL leased line. In addition to HF, VHF & CoB Kerala Police Telecommunication is also having a District level Satellite Communication infrastructure of MHA. It was aimed to serve up to the Police Station level of all State Polices and Para-military forces in India by spending more than 100 Crores of money named POLNET.

          At present 56 HF Communication equipment, 364 Repeaters, 3515 Mobile/Static Radios and 2664 Hand Held Sets are also working. The Headquarters of Telecommunication wing is functioning at Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram.

          The State level Central Work shop (CWS) and Telecommunication Training Centre is also located at this Headquarter at Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram.

This workshop is responsible for installation and maintenance of sophisticated equipments with the purpose of providing smooth communication through out the State also providing necessary training to the local districts work shops. All component level repairs are carrying out in this workshop. CWS is equipped with modern state of the art instruments like Radio Test Set of IFR and Marconi, 500Mhz CROs of Tektronics, Soldering and De-soldering stations etc. Also responsible for evaluation and preparation of Technical Specs. For Police and Security forces. A cute reference library also available here for immediate references.

          Cipher; the word Cipher is coding or concealing of information. This wing under Telecommunication is responsible for handling of Cipher system being used in the Police forces in India time to time. Collection of Cipher documents from DCPW NewDelhi carefully and performing the Cryptography operations for classified messages and other secret communications in the State Police Forces.
The sanctioned strength of Telecommunication wing is SP-1, Deputy SPs –2,Inspectors – 21, SIs-95, ASIs 126,HCs-198,PCs-375,Carpenter, Blacksmith, Painter, Draftsman are 1 each.

           The basic qualification for appointment of this wing is minimum SSLC with ITI. Though the personnel having more qualifications like B.Tech, Eng. Diploma, Computer related higher qualifications and experience are there. There fore the Telecommunication personnel can handle all Electronic, Electrical gadgets and computer based works in the Kerala Police.

           As part of the Modernisation of Kerala Police a call monitoring system, Automatic Digital Voice Logger and Vehicle Location Monitoring System is also installed in Cities and District Headquarters. The call monitoring system is aimed to trace the identity of the caller at once and easy confirmation of its genuineness of received messages. The prank calls which hamper the emergency services of Police.           

The Automatic Digital Voice Logger is a mechanism which automatically records the voice of all events over phone lines and wireless radios ie. the incoming and outgoing calls is stored into a redundant hard disk for a long period and the stored information are not allowing to edit, copy or delete from the system. This will help the higher authorities to judge the performance of control room and the general public will also get a better service from the Police Control Rooms.
FUTURE MISSIONS

 CoB Network:- is awaiting its 2nd and 3rd phase of expansion. All the Police Computers shall be connected to the Net and as a result a speedy e-governance and paperless administration can be achieved. Similarly Crime information, missing, theft, found out, etc shall immediately be available in the net, thus the common public will be served in a nice form. Actions are in progress to implement this.

Kerala Police requires mobile communications and control Shelters to establish VHF / UHF repeater stations for effective communications during serious Law and Order situations, VVIP visits and disaster Management. The vehicle shall have provisions for Mobile Repeater room, Mobile Control Room, Emergency Party carrier, Stock of emergency L&O equipments for disaster handling, provision for sleeping births of 10persons in case of deployment more than 24 hours etc. The vehicle shall be Air conditioned with state of the art interior finishing and adequate power supply from Generator.

Mobile Repeater cum control rooms- custom made communication provider in wheels, to meet all sort of emergency needs of Police in the state and also to extend maximum possible helps to the victims who need a help. It would have all provisions to anchor in the midst of any worse situations. Equipped with all modern communication facilities, small firefighter, first aid accessories, Riot control Items, video camera and laptop computer with Inter net, Telescopic Antenna Mast, Sleeper births, Generator Power etc. In India M/s. Sherendip, Bangalore, M/s.R.L.Industries,Noida and Aster Tele services, Hyderabad is identified for this and consultations are in progress.

HF Man pack sets for Disaster management. During Disaster situation all communication facilities may be damaged partially or even completely. In such situations like natural calamities HF Man pack communication sets are the best and easy alternative. In view of this Department has decided to purchase 15 Nos. HF man packs sets.

Telecommunication Training school at KEPA. A modern Tele communication Training School with all facilities to hands on training on the advanced modern communication system with expert faculties, initiativeness is in progress

TETRA

Tetra one of the digital trunking PMR system that can offer all the facilities of popular cell phone services in addition to the existing futures of conventional radios currently we use. Kerala Police has identified the following areas of applications to suit our demands.
At present the Kerala State Police is using Conventional Radios in the field of Telecommunication Networks. Considering the introduction of modern Technologies as well as to curb the activities of Criminals and Terrorists, we are forced to introduce latest generation Radios having the most advanced features. Bare minimum essential features are furnished below.

I. Radio Based Data Communication.
All the Regional Transport Offices, Police Finger Print Bureau and State Special Branch offices have already been Computerised for the systematic functioning of the respective establishments. Their Data can be shared by the Police Network.
a. To detect the Registration details, Theft/missing, Taxation of the vehicles. This will avoid inconvenience/unnecessary delay. This facility can be availed by a Police Officer on the spot on demand through a Radio with proper identification.
b. On line verification of Finger Prints through Radios:- The Computerised Finger Print Data can be detected by the investigating officer On Line through the Computer to avoid delay. Thus the number of absconding culprits can be brought down to a very great extent.
c. Information of missing and wanted persons: - A Police Officer on duty in the field having a Radio of Third Generation can have the information related to the missing and wanted personnel with photographs, sent across to other officers without disruption in Voice Communication.
II. Global Positioning System.
Third Generation Radios built with GPS facility can be utilised for locating the vehicles and Radio users automatically.
III. Ambience Listening.

Ambience listening facility means that a Radio will be able to communicate to the base station without the knowledge of a Radio user without any indication on it. This will be very much useful for places where an operator is not permissible or even spy work like Operations, in public places, Taxis, Conference Halls, Jail murmurings, Police Officers in trouble etc. To check the Police personnel on beat duty, Usage with trained dogs etc. can be added to enhance such capacities.

(a) Places where an operator is not permissible:- In some high security demanding locations an extra personnel for communication is not allowed like VVIP Visit, Devotional places, Ceremonies, Conference Hall and even Political party meetings, such Radios can be used. In such places with or without the knowledge of others (Police can have information by placing a Handheld Radio suitably).
(b). At public places like Airports, Railway Stations, Petrol pumps, Hospitals, Tourist places etc., we can easily utilise a Radio with key chain sized web cameras. For this, just the camera is to be connected to it. Thus we can remotely monitor the movements and activities of suspects and VIPs.
(c) Taxis:- Investigating officers can fix a Radio without the knowledge of a taxi driver or auto rickshaw for tracing a criminal, since most of the criminals escape in public transport. In Ambience mode, Voice Operated Transmission (VOX) is also possible.
(d) Jail murmuring:- Some dangerous criminals would be planning activities even inside jail. They may be utilised for some private illicit activities by some interested parties. Also any deal from out side to jail. Installed cameras at jail towers and sensitive places with these Radios will take care a lot.
(e) Police Officers in trouble: - Kidnapped Officers in terrorist operations, Officers among mobs and critical raids etc., these remote activation Radios might be very useful.
(f) Beat duty and Guard duty check: - Such Radios can be used any where without the knowledge of those being watched or shadowed.
(g) Police station monitoring: - With the installed small Web cameras in Police stations linked with there Radio can be monitored for higher officials whenever required.
IV. Short Data Service (Two way pager )
The SDS facility can be used for the authenticity verification of Cinema to CD/Video. Considering the piracy of cinema, authorisation data of CDs/Videos can be stored in a Computer and its code numbers can be verified by a Police Officer while checking a Video library/home quickly and easily.
V. DMO (Direct Mode Operation)
Communication by this system will be useful, during disaster relief, natural calamities, remote area operations like reserve forests, costal areas and from Trains to Railway Police Stations. The same Radio can be used for extending the area of signal coverage by making it work as repeater on “Direct Mode” to Network and vice versa wherever required. Once these modern facilities are provided to investigating officers they would be definitely stand a much better chance of tracking down the accused. Moreover in this age of data, any sort of Technical Modernisation in Communication should be developed with lesser complications in hardware, especially in Wireless. The relation between Information Technology and Communication Technology is a proven example in front of us, since computerisation without Networking has lost its relevance.
In addition to the above, Digital storage of every call for years together is possible. The facilities viz Group expansion from Police Network to Fire force in some special occasions without any switching headache in the field. Temporary groups also can be created for special incidents (natural calamities). Call barring, encoding (MSG coding and air encoding decoding), call diversions also individual and collective call like conventional Radios.
Automatic checking of Vehicle’s speed between two traffic points, Voice Operated Transmission (VOX) etc can be incorporated in to the Radios without much burden.

The Third Generation Trunking Radios like TETRA can cater the above features.