Verizon Frontline debuted its latest public safety communications innovation Wednesday at the 2022 National Sheriffs’ Association annual conference. The Mobile Utility Technology Transport (MUTT) is a one-of-a-kind, reimagined police cruiser capable of leveraging the network and technology of Verizon Frontline, including Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband (UW), along with additional applications and advanced computing solutions for first responders.  

The Verizon Frontline Response Team developed the vehicle, a refurbished Chevrolet Tahoe, with input from public safety agencies, to serve as an example of what the police cruiser of the future may look like from a communications perspective. Incorporating a number of connectivity options, Verizon Frontline’s MUTT is designed to provide first responders with access to everything from 4G LTE, 5G Nationwide and 5G UW connectivity to Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Land Mobile Radio (LMR) communications capabilities.

Verizon Frontline’s MUTT also features a built-in kit allowing it to deploy a drone to provide first responders on the scene of an emergency with situational awareness or to stream video in near-real time back to an Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

While a number of police cruisers today rely on either a single router or a MiFi, Verizon Frontline’s MUTT features two routers. This enables public safety agencies to dedicate one to the heavy data usage required by video, such as that streamed from a bodycam or a drone, and another to remaining communications needs such as support for Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) or voice and data service.The MUTT will also feature two laptops, a tablet, a smartphone, a printer and an onboard server. It also will be able to serve as a mobile, dedicated private network, and will help ensure first responders on the front lines have access to the secure, reliable mission-critical communications capabilities they need, when they need them most.

The Verizon Frontline Response Team plans to add satellite connectivity to the MUTT’s suite of communications options and are also exploring potential use cases for the vehicle or a fleet of similar vehicles moving forward.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders – developed over nearly three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines – to meet their unique and evolving needs.  The Verizon Frontline Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies, emergency responders, nonprofits and communities on a 24/7 basis. Verizon Frontline Response Team members set up portable cell sites, WiFi hotspots, free charging stations and other Verizon Frontline devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance.

This story originally appeared in Police Magazine.