San Bruno Police: Radio system fixes will be costly

“I wouldn’t be coming before you asking for these upgrades if it weren’t for the mandate,” said Johansen, adding that in the process of researching costs to comply with the law, the department had uncovered the greater need to upgrade the current system that was “crippling to operations on a regular basis.”

He estimated costs to make upgrades for compliance alone would be $1.5 million — changes that would not improve current communication capabilities and could also be quickly rendered obsolete, requiring additional spending.

The department’s radios currently rely on the crowded 400 megahertz frequency, and are not only unable to meet the mandate, but unable to communicate with other agencies, largely do not work outside of the city, and even within the city are subject to large zones with little or no reception, according to Johansen. He recommended a move to the 800 megahertz frequency, in addition to adding the capability to use the broad existing LTE infrastructure, changes that would solve the existing shortcomings.

“This [400 MHz] band spectrum is used by cellular companies, private radio systems, tow companies, ambulance companies, there’s a lot of people crammed into this space,” he said. “This creates major crowding and that means difficulty getting your transmissions through.”

But the hefty price tag drew a lukewarm response from some councilmembers who pointed to other significant spending needed for other infrastructure, and funding recently granted to the department for other purchases. The radio upgrades were estimated to cost anywhere between $3 million and $5 million, and would also carry a yearly licensing cost in the $150,000 to $250,000 range.

“When I first read this report … I was just like “we cannot catch a break,’” said Councilmember Marty Medina. “The reality of the changing world and aging infrastructure and new requirements, we’re two steps forward and three steps back.”

Vice Mayor Linda Mason pointed to lighting infrastructure needed in the Rollingwood neighborhood estimated to cost a similar sum.

“This is a really difficult position to be placed in,” she said. “The information that we have been receiving has been that the [police department] has been thinly resourced, and I don’t disagree with that, which is why the council has approved every request for the past two years that has come to us.’’

Johansen, however, said the pricier option would be more prudent for a handful of other reasons. For instance, the department, he said, was warned several years ago its specific frequency in the range, the T-band spectrum, could be sold to a private company, like a cellular provider, requiring the department to make a change “lickety split” if it were to happen.

“We’ve just kind of continued rolling the dice,” he said. “While it’s currently OK to be there clearly because we’ve been there for years, that could change tomorrow.”

Additionally, the infrastructure operating the radios lacks backup power sources, meaning a power outage could halt communications capabilities. The infrastructure, operated by contracted service providers, Johansen indicated had been questionably maintained and could experience problems from issues like exposed wiring and flooding.

“We were trusting a vendor for a very long time and it’s evident that [trust] was misplaced,” he said.

He added that while many agencies in the state had already moved to the 800 MHz frequency, which was designated specifically for public safety use by the Federal Communications Commission, San Bruno like many cities in the county, “for some reason have stayed behind the curve.”

Marty Medina said he was hopeful collaboration with the county for the upgrades could be explored to save costs. City Manager Jovan Grogan said fees paid by developers to the city could be tapped for the purpose. Johansen said the department also had $700,000 in excess revenue to put toward the effort.

Mayor Rico Medina expressed commitment to upgrading the system, pointing to emergency upgrades he had previously pushed for that aided response efforts during the 2010 pipeline explosion.

“These are things we have to hear,” he said. “We need to know that our community and our public safety personnel, our police officers … we give them the best tools to operate. I want to make sure we’re prepared.”

corey@smdailyjournal.com

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