Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Calling all cars, sheriff's office needs new radio system

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 04:34:56 -0400

Friday, August 22, 2003
Calling all cars, sheriff's office needs new radio system

By KILEY MILLER
[email-masked]
MOUNT PLEASANT — The Henry County Sheriff's Office is in the market for a new
radio system to replace its outdated model.

Sheriff Kenneth Krabill met Thursday with the Board of Supervisors and
representatives from two Motorola radio vendors to discuss bids for the new
system. Engineering Applications Inc. of West Burlington has offered to replace
all elements of the main system, excluding the individual car radios, for
$206,795.

Purchasing directly from Motorola would reduce the cost to $188,031. The Sheriff's
Office then would replace gradually the old analog car radios with digital models,
providing better security and increased range for the department's communications.

The supervisors are hopeful the county E911 Board will pay for all or part of the
new system.

Rather than green–lighting the radio replacement, the supervisors called for the
formation of a committee made up of area emergency responders to study the
proposed Sheriff's Office equipment for compatibility with their own radios.

"We have to put this out for bids anyway, because it's over $50,000," said Board
Chairman Marc Lindeen.

Engineering Applications representative Don Hastings said Motorola no longer
offers complete technical support for the county's current radio system, which has
been in use for nearly 20 years.

"Sooner or later, there will be no support whatsoever," Hastings said.

At Krabill's request, Engineering Applications asked Motorola engineers more than
a year ago to design a radio system that meets all of Henry County's needs. The
bids were based on those engineering specifications.

The E–911 board recently purchased one digital car radio costing $6,000 for the
Sheriff's Department. The car radio functions as a repeater, enabling a deputy to
speak with dispatch from anywhere in the county through a hand held unit.
Deputy Allen Wittmer said the new radio worked perfectly during a recent
tractor–trailer accident near Geode State Park.
"I have nothing bad to say about it," Wittmer said.

Krabill said his apartment still needs to replace 10 car radios, beginning with
three push–button models that have become increasingly problematic.
"They're old, old, old," Krabill said.

Representatives from Electronic Engineering Co., a Mount Pleasant–business that
did not bid on the radio contract, said the county could apply for Federal
Emergency Management Association and Department of Justice grants to help pay for
the new radio system.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/daily/stories/ln1_0822.html

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