Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Receives Grant for The Communicator!/ShotSpotter High-Speed Notification, Gunfire Detection Duo.

Business Editors/Technology & Legal Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 27, 2000

Excellent Results From Pilot Enable LASD to Make Technologies

a Permanent Part of Arsenal Against Crime and to

Expand Coverage Into Additional Areas

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) today announced plans to purchase The Communicator!(TM) high-speed notification solution from Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC), along with the ShotSpotter(TM) urban gunshot detection system from Trilon Technology, LLC. After evaluating the results and effectiveness of these systems during a pilot launched in January 2000, the department moved to make the technology duo a permanent tool for field operations and crime analysis.

Pilot evaluation points to the positive impact ShotSpotter has had on detecting random gunfire (87% of which had gone undetected by LASD before implementing the system) and aiding officers with reliable, real-time audio and geographic accounts of incidents for quick and accurate response. When used with The Communicator, the duo serves as an "electronic watchdog," alerting police to gunfire within seconds of an incident, pointing dispatchers to the precise geographic location of the crime, and enabling them to strategically dispatch units to the scene.

"We're encouraged by the success of the pilot and recognize the critical role these technologies play in responding to criminal activity and emergency events," said Chief Bayless of the LASD. "The Communicator helps to enhance the performance of our operations and ensures swift and accurate communication with county residents for cohesive community response."

The LASD's acquisition of The Communicator/ShotSpotter duo is made possible through a grant from the Productivity Investment Fund of Los Angeles County, which awards funds to agencies for innovative projects and products that enhance the performance of the department and better serve county citizens. The LASD recently received recognition as one of the top ten projects in the Los Angeles County 2000 Productivity and Quality Awards for implementing The Communicator/ShotSpotter pilot, which helped lead to the award of the grant.

The LASD will purchase the initial system combination at Century Station, which was implemented during the pilot, and will expand its reach into additional areas in the county with a second system, to be managed at Industry Station in the Valinda, La Puente area. Like Center Station, the LASD will deploy both systems for random gunfire detection and high-speed communication and collaboration with Neighborhood Watch groups and other COPS initiatives. The Communicator from DCC will also be used for:

1. Lost children or wandering elder alerts;

2. Task team and personnel activations;

3. Notifications of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) incidents;

4. Barricade or hostage situations;

5. Confidential "electronic interviews" of eyewitnesses immediately following crime-related events;

6. Neighborhood and school alerts of wanted persons, police manhunts or suspects at large;

7. Convenience store, pawn shop, pharmacy and bank alerts for scams, counterfeit currency and robberies; and

8. Crime analysis and resource forecasting.

About The Communicator

The Communicator!(TM) high-speed notification system from DCC automatically contacts individuals or groups regardless of size (from a small task team to an entire county) by phone, pager and/or cellular; delivers incident-specific information and/or life-saving instruction; confirms message receipt through touch-tone response; and prints/faxes comprehensive reports detailing notification results for immediate status of call-out missions. During a crime incident or other emergency event, The Communicator's touch-tone response option provides a confidential "electronic interview" allowing eyewitnesses (in the safety and privacy of their homes) to relay relative information to dispatchers.

About Dialogic Communications Corporation, www.dccusa.com

Since 1982, hundreds of emergency, public and private organizations spanning 22 countries have integrated DCC's notification and response solutions into their emergency and corporate communications networks, making DCC the established leader in high-speed notification technology. In April 2000, the Smithsonian Institute recognized the company's vision and leadership by inducting The Communicator!(TM)/ShotSpotter(TM) duo into the National Museum of American History. For more information, contact DCC's worldwide headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee at 800.723.3207.

About Trilon Technology, LLC, www.shotspotter.com

Based in Los Altos, CA, Trilon is the inventor of the world's first urban gunshot location system, ShotSpotter(TM). Since its introduction in 1995, ShotSpotter has helped dramatically reduce random gunfire in several areas with its effectiveness being substantiated by both the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Center for Criminal Justice Research at the University of Cincinnati. For more information call 650.941.2350.

Contacts for Press Only:

- Lt. Sid Heal, LASD, 323/526.5262 or [e-mail].

- Dave Krikac, DCC, 800/723.3207 or 615/790.2882 or [e-mail]