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Police radio replacement halted over provider

Sharon Coolidge
scoolidge@enquirer.com
Cincinnati Fire Dispatcher Cara Van Steelandt takes emergency calls and dispatches Cincinnati fire companies in Price Hill, on a system based in Colerain Township at the Hamilton County Communications Center.

Cincinnati police officers need new radios – the equipment they use to communicate with each other – but their planned purchase is on hold after some members of Cincinnati City Council questioned whether the city should seek out a local minority firm to provide them instead of industry leader Motorola.

The delay and potential change could cost taxpayers nearly $1 million, City Manager Harry Black said.

Council's Budget and Finance Committee was expected to approve the $5.4 million purchase of 1,546 radios and accessories last week, but the issue was tabled after Council couldn't come to a consensus – a move that stunned Black and police officials.

Using Motorola would be cheaper with no need for an additional service contract and training and mean the radio system would be compatible with the fire department and state system.

In a memo to Council Monday Black, put it like this, "Motorola is the single available source for these units."

FOP President Kathy Harrell added, "This comes down to officer safety, The radios are our lifeline. We need the same communication system as the fire department."

CPD's current radios will be useless come 2018, with no provider able to service them. The city is in the process of upgrading its 800MHz radio communication system to be in line with the State of Ohio's Multi Agency Radio Communication System.

The plan was to buy the radios from Motorola, which is offering a $175,000 discount if the city buys the radios by Dec. 11, according to the memo.

"Failure to place the order before the aforementioned date could put the city at risk of losing out on the … discounts which would increase the City's purchase price for the radios by approximately $985,150," Black said.

It seemed like a done deal, but Councilman Charlie Winburn suggested the city at least look at local minority-owned contractors, in keeping with Council's mission to be more inclusive in contracting.

This past year the city has taken bold steps to be more inclusive, making sure more contracts go to women and minority-owned businesses.