CC 2020-10-27_08f Police Department Radio Equipment Upgrade
MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MICHAEL MARTINEZ, CHIEF OF POLICE
BY: SHAWN COSGROVE, POLICE COMMANDER
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE UPGRADED
RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT
DATE: OCTOBER 27, 2020
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Approve the purchase of upgraded radio equipment infrastructure for the Police
Department.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
The purchase is to be funded partially by Police Department employee vacancy salary
savings approved in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget and by the Supplemental Law
Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF) Citizen’s Option for Public Safety (COPS) Grant.
The total cost of the upgraded radio equipment infrastructure is $143,028. $124,000 will
be funded by employee vacancy salary savings and $19,028 will be funded by a SLESF
COPS Grant award.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council authorize the purchase of equipment to upgrade the
Police Department’s radio infrastructure at a total cost of $143,028.
BACKGROUND:
The Police Department began radio infrastructure upgrades in 2002. Several upgrades
have been made in an attempt to improve police communication, coverage, and quality
using several different independent vendors. Since 2002, the Police Department has
made additional purchases of radio equipment in order to extend communications
throughout the City. These perpetual upgrades to an antiquated system are failing and
communications are diminishing under the current system. The Police Department
identified the need to replace the current system with a contemporary radio system to
improve police communications.
Item 8.f. - Page 1
CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE UPGRADED RADIO
EQUIPMENT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OCTOBER 27, 2020
PAGE 2
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
The current Police Department radio infrastructure design is an analog system consisting
of three repeater sites, Hillcrest Drive being the primary site, Huebner Lane being a
secondary site, and Vernon Drive as a non-operational back up site. Since 2002, several
efforts have been made to upgrade and overhaul the system in an attempt to improve
police radio communications; however, the police department continues to experience
equipment failures despite the upgrades. Since 2002, upgrades have exceeded
approximately $350,000 in expenditures to keep the system operational.
The Police Department developed a three phased migration strategy to upgrade the radio
infrastructure. The first phase was in 2018, when the City Council approved the purchase
of new handheld radios which provided longer battery life, a slight improvement in signal
strength, and most importantly, the capability to migrate to a P-25 digital platform. The
second phase is the upgrade of the radio repeater sites with purchase of a repeater voting
system manufactured by T.A.I.T Communications. The T.A.I.T system is an affordable
and manageable analog system that may, at any point in the future, be upgraded to a P-
25 digital system, which will provide optimal coverage in areas where officers cannot
transmit. This second phase is proposed for approval at this time, using the funds
allocated in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Adopted Budget. The third phase is an eventual full
upgrade to P-25 digital whereas all purchased equipment are capable and compatible.
The Police Department cannot currently upgrade to digital as the system will isolate our
frequency bands from neighboring agencies; however, once implemented, the system
can be upgraded at any time. It is anticipated that future COPS grant funding would be
used for this effort.
The T.A.I.T. system is licensed for P-25 digital in preparation for the future, and will
provide multi-casting voting repeater capabilities where the system will select the
strongest repeater sites and broadcast using that site to improve broadcasting efficiency
and has a redundant power supply in the event of a power outage. The system will have
the capability of remote diagnosis and access to avoid accrued costs for site visits as the
Police Department contracts with Applied Technologies out of Bakersfield, CA.
The total equipment purchase of $143,028 will include the radio repeater/voter site
upgrades, nine Kenwood in-car radio replacements capable of digital function to outfit all
police vehicles and motorcycles, and four additional Kenwood handheld radios to outfit
members of the S.W.A.T. Team and to supplement damaged radios. In researching
alternative systems, the T.A.I.T system was the most reasonable as other systems can
double in price. Pricing is based on the NASPO (National Association of State
Procurement Officials) State contract to ensure the lowest cost.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Approve staff’s recommendation to authorize the purchase of upgraded radio
infrastructure;
Item 8.f. - Page 2
CONSIDERATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE UPGRADED RADIO
EQUIPMENT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OCTOBER 27, 2020
PAGE 3
2. Do not approve staff’s recommendations; or
3.Provide direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Approving the recommended action will mitigate continued maintenance costs in repairing
antiquated equipment and will improve public safety communications.
DISADVANTAGES:
No disadvantaged are identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2.
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