Purchase to improve communications and safety during calls.
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ROCHELLE — Local police officers have been asking to replace their 12-year-old hand held radios to eliminate spotty transmission and improve safety.
On Monday night they got their wish when Rochelle City Council members voted unanimously to purchase 21 new Motorola APX 6000 Starcom portable radios from Dixon/Ottawa Communications at a cost of $92,784.30.
"The current radios were purchased in 2005 and they are no longer reliable for transmitting," explained city manager Dave Plyman. "The officers and dispatch have had numerous issues transmitting and receiving messages and this lack of consistency pose a safety concern for the officers."
According to Plyman, the department has one radio already and expects to receive two more from the 9-1-1 board, which would give them 24 total radios in case spares are ever needed. He also explained the price of the radios also includes speaker mics, spare batteries, holsters and programming.
"At a cost of $4,418.30 per radio I had to swallow a bit hard, because that's pretty expensive," he stated. "But this system is what other agencies in the area are using, so not only will it improve safety and communications, but it will also allow us to network better."
