HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3a: Purchase of Dispatch Radio System Upgrade from AT & T for Police Department1."~r' 1
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STAFF REPORT
Police Department
DATE: October 6, 2009
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Robert P. Sanderson, Chie?nagement ice f ~
By: Paul Foley, Lieutenan
Nancy Chik, Senior Analyst
SUBJECT: Dispatch Radio System Upgrade for the Police Department
Recommendation: Waive the formal bid process and approve the
purchase of a dispatch radio system upgrade from AT&T in the amount of
$68,573.76 by utilizing Asset Seizure Forfeiture Funds.
SUMMARY
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the purchase of software/hardware
upgrades for the Police Department's radio system to be installed in the Dispatch
Center by AT&T. This upgrade will allow dispatchers to monitor additional radio
frequencies and improve radio interoperability. The upgrade will also include the
installation of a fourth dispatcher position, which will be used as an additional backup
workstation during an emergency, and Asset Seizure Forfeiture funds will be used for
this project.
BACKGROUND
For the past five years, the Police Department's Dispatch Center has been using a
Positron 9-1-1 and Radio Systems, which was funded by the State of California's 9-1-1
Office. In 2004, the State of California provided an allocation to the City for the
purchase of both the 9-1-1 and radio systems. This fund allocation was made available
every five years to the City's Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), and all
maintenance was paid by the State of California and services provided by AT&T.
Since that time, the California 9-1-1 Office no longer provides funding for radio system
upgrades but continues to fund the 9-1-1 equipment upgrades. In fact, the Police
Department has already received approval from the State to proceed with the Positron
9-1-1 equipment upgrade and the Department is in the process of implementing the
project. The current Positron 9-1-1 and radio systems have both proven to be efficient
and beneficial to public safety operations.
DISCUSSION
If the dispatch radio system is not upgraded at this time, AT&T will charge $483.68 per
month for the current Positron radio system. Considering that the current system has
been in use 24-hours a day for 5 years, the maintenance for this aging system will
continue to increase.
Staff has researched additional vendors that provide both 9-1-1 and radio systems, and
it has become clear that upgrading our current radio system versus installing a new
system will result in a significant cost savings to the City. Additionally, since the
Department has been using the Positron systems for over five years, AT&T will apply a
$14,924 discount to the radio system upgrade.
The Positron radio system upgrade will allow dispatchers to access and monitor
additional frequencies utilized by other law enforcement agencies and regional task
forces. The improved system will be digital ready and will maintain the same user
interface, which will reduce the amount of training necessary for dispatchers to learn the
new system. Also, the upgraded Positron radio system will have Automatic Numerical
Identification (ANI) that will allow for all mobile/portable radios in use by the Police
Department to be identified whenever a transmission is made. The ANI feature
enhances officer safety by allowing personnel in the Dispatch Center to immediately
identify an officer by the radio identifier in emergency situations.
Because an upgraded dispatch radio system is required to improve radio interoperability
and to monitor new radio frequencies used by other law enforcement agencies, staff
recommends the purchase of the AT&T Positron radio system upgrade for $68,573.76
by utilizing Asset Seizure Funds.
FISCAL IMPACT
The expenditure of $68,573.76 of Asset Seizure Funds has no impact upon the General
Fund of the City.
RECOMMENDATION
Waive the formal bid process and approve the purchase of a dispatch radio
system upgrade from AT&T in the amount of $68,573.76 by utilizing Asset Seizure
Forfeiture Funds.
Approved:
Don Penman, City Manager