About Us
On Target Training and Consulting (OTTC) was founded in 2008 by Tom Justin, a police officer in St. Cloud Minnesota. As the City of St. Cloud was converting to the new State of Minnesota ARMER 800 MHz P25 Trunked Radio network, Tom recognized the need to provide customized training for the rapidly expanding number of city, county and other agencies who were migrating from individual VHF radio systems to the new ARMER 800 MHz network. The new ARMER radio system was a “game changer” with coverage and capacity that far exceeded the technology and capabilities of the older VHF networks.
These new trunked radio networks require all radio system users to receive specific training on proper use of the new radios, as well as understanding the capabilities of the new system. The new systems include many features not found in the older systems, including radio/unit ID, automatic site roaming, emergency alerting, expanded local, regional and statewide talk group (channel) capabilities, statewide Interoperability and much more. The unique needs of the individual radio users, along with Dispatch staff, were recognized and incorporated into the On Target course planning.
Tom assembled a team of individuals with decades of direct experience in hands-on operations, technical support and training with these advanced radio systems. These folks work directly in the public safety communications field, and specialize in educating radio users on the many elements of using these systems.
Sadly, Tom passed away in 2019. However, the training staff at On Target was dedicated to continuing the OTTC mission, and has teamed with Rey Freeman (RFCC), who has taken over the ownership and management of On Target. Rey and Tom had previously worked together with numerous public safety clients, and we are humbled at the opportunity to continue following Tom’s vision to provide these specialized and dedicated training services. On Target continues its work with the same experienced training staff and course curriculum, along with a few new members on the team. Refer to the Our Staff tab on this website for more information about our team.
OTTC’s work has expanded into Iowa over the past few years, where the new ISICS (Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System) has been under development and installation since 2015. This new system is a 700 MHz P25 Phase 2 Trunked System, similar in many ways to the Minnesota ARMER system. As this system grows, many local city and county agencies are again migrating from VHF to this new system, with the same needs for training services.
The State of North Dakota is also in the process of implementing a new statewide Trunked Radio network (SIRN 20/20) and On Target is now working with some agencies to plan for migration to this new system.
Rey’s involvement with On Target dates back several years, as his primary work is providing radio system consulting, project management and tower site development services for public safety agencies throughout the upper Midwest through RFCC, his consulting firm. On Target had been recommended to provide training services for several of RFCC’s customers as they prepared agency personnel for use of these new radio systems.
Rey launched RFCC in 2013 after 13 years with GeoComm (St. Cloud MN) as the primary radio systems consultant and project manager. He has over 40 years experience in the field of Land Mobile and Public Safety radio networks, specializing in all system types including VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz Trunked, analog and P25 digital technologies. From 1998 to 2000 he managed land mobile radio and in-flight data systems for Northwest Airlines at their world headquarters in Minneapolis. Prior to his work at Northwest he was the 9-1-1 Supervisor for the cities of Richfield and Eden Prairie joint dispatch center. His career in radio communications began with Motorola as a technician and field service supervisor, where he installed the first 800 MHz Trunked System in Minnesota.
Refer to www.rfccradio.com for more information about RFCC’s services and projects.
