Pennsylvania police roll out mobile radio tower for 2026 NFL Draft
The Pennsylvania State Police this week rolled out a new mobile radio tower designed to strengthen emergency communications during large-scale events, starting with the National Football League Draft, a three-day event in Pittsburgh that started Thursday and is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans.
The P25 land mobile radio “cell on wheels,” or LMR-COW, is a 100-foot tower mounted on a trailer that extends radio coverage. It’s expected to play a key role in public safety operations during the draft, the 91st annual meeting, in which 32 NFL teams will gather at the city’s North Shore, including Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, to announce their new player selections over seven rounds. The mobile radio tower can be operational within minutes and is designed to function in challenging environments, including remote areas or during infrastructure outages, according to a press release from the state police.
Officials said the tower provides interoperable communications, allowing federal, state and local agencies to stay connected even when traditional systems are overloaded or unavailable.
“Clear communication is vital during these types of large-scale events,” George Ritchey, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police, said in the release. “This capability allows us to extend our communications reach wherever it’s most needed, ensuring our members have the communication tools necessary, regardless of location and terrain.”
Mobile communications systems like the LMR-COW are increasingly used around the country to fill coverage gaps and give agencies flexible, on-demand connectivity during both planned events and emergencies. The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department recently deployed its command post bus, a mobile operations center designed to support real-time decision-making during this year’s FIFA World Cup. Last November, New York City officials unveiled the ECV-1, an emergency communications vehicle designed to help first responders stay connected during major events and citywide emergencies.
According to the release, the State Police, Emergency Management Agency and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have been preparing for the draft since last year, developing security plans for traffic management, performing risk assessments and conducting in interagency tabletop exercises.
The NFL draft is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans each year to hosting cities. More than 600,000 fans attended last year’s draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, making it the second largest draft in history. (The 2024 draft reportedly brought more than 775,000 fans to Detroit.)
Pittsburgh last hosted the NFL draft in December 1947, when 10 teams gathered to select their picks for the upcoming 1948 season. It was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago, but moved because the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles were matched in the Eastern Division playoff game at Forbes Field, a stadium in Pittsburgh that would be demolished in 1971. The Eagles beat the Steelers 21 to 0.
