Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Alabama State Police Radio Gets Hit With The "Nevada Syndrome"

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2004 19:30:09 -0400

Alabama State Police Radio Gets Hit With The "Nevada Syndrome"- "The new
radio system for the Department of Public Safety depends on obtaining a
VHF radio frequency for its operation."

Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Despite misgivings over whether it will operate, Gov.
Bob Riley's administration has paid a vendor more than $2 million on a
contract for a radio system for state troopers signed during former Gov.
Don Siegelman's term.
The new radio system for the Department of Public Safety depends on
obtaining a VHF radio frequency for its operation. It was supposed to be
working this summer, linking troopers and local police in 27 southern
counties and expanding statewide by 2006, The Birmingham News reported
Sunday.

State officials withheld payment to Motorola Inc. for months because of
concerns about the $8.3 million contract, state records show. The state
won't pay the remaining $6.3 million to Motorola if officials determine
the system won't work, said Col. Mike Coppage, Riley's public safety
director.

The administration quickly made a $2 million payment weeks after
Motorola sent a request in May directly to finance officials, including
Ben Patterson, who was deputy finance director at the time and later
joined the lobbying firm that represented the company, The News
reported.

Patterson now works for Fine, Geddie & Associates, Montgomery lobbyists
hired by Motorola in 2003. The lobbying firm's political action
committees raised $625,000 for Riley's 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

"I want you to know that I had absolutely zero, nothing to do with
paying them," Patterson told The News last week. "That was not something
I was concerned about or looking at."

Coppage said Patterson was in at least two meetings dealing with the
Motorola contract, but he said he's not aware of efforts by Patterson to
forward payment to the company.

"Nobody was really pushing to get them paid," Coppage said.

The state finally paid after state officials concluded there was no way
they could withhold payment, Riley spokesman Jeff Emerson said. Riley
had ordered a thorough review of the Motorola contract, delaying payment
to the company for months.
"He tried to do the responsible thing," Emerson said.

Others argued the Riley administration could withhold payment until the
state determined that it's possible to develop the radio system. The
proposal depends on the availability of VHF radio frequencies across the
state, but those frequencies are limited and may be difficult to obtain,
the critics argued.

Without enough frequencies, troopers could experience gaps in radio
service.

Riley received a letter a month before the payment was made from one
expert who argued it was irresponsible for the state to pay Motorola for
a radio system that may not provide what the contract requires.

"I know the Department of Public Safety is in need of a modern
communications system now, but VHF would be too problematic and would be
a dead-end solution," wrote Eric Linsley, a communications specialists
who serves as a radio frequency adviser in Alabama for the Federal
Communications Commission. "Public safety agencies should definitely not
purchase equipment prior to successfully finding and coordinating
appropriate frequencies."

The payment to Motorola was a required deposit on the project, company
spokesman Steve Gorecki said. Motorola disagrees with those who argue
the state will not be able to find the necessary frequencies for the
system, Gorecki said.

Gorecki said he did not know if the company is required to reimburse the
state the $2 million already paid if the system can't be established. "I
think what people are dealing with is a lot of speculation. And Motorola
isn't going to get involved in that," he said.

Ned Butler used to chair a committee of public safety officials across
the state that coordinated efforts to improve radio communications.
Butler said he urged the administration months ago not to move ahead
with the Motorola project until officials determine if frequencies are
available.

The state may end up paying $1.8 million to hire a company to search for
frequencies when specialists currently in state government can do it for
far less, if not free, Butler said.

"This is not a fix. This won't do it," said Butler, who is urging Riley
to re-establish the public safety communications committee to review
this and other radio contracts.

Coppage said his agency doesn't have the expertise required to locate
the frequencies or to obtain help from the federal government to
negotiate access to frequencies

"These people have lobbyists and everything to do that. We can't do
that," he said.
Coppage said he is awaiting approval from Riley's office on the
consultant contract.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/8408882.htm

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