Insurance renewed for shared dispatch system

BOARDMAN — The council of governments responsible for the joint radio-dispatch system shared by Austintown and Boardman townships voted Thursday to renew insurance for the system.

The cost of renewing the Public Entities Pool of Ohio insurance will be $5,202.

The system, which went live in January 2013, so far has been a success for both townships, representatives from the council and police say.

“The communication is very clear, compared to our old frequency,” said Jason Loree, council member and Boardman Township administrator.

“We don’t have as many dead points as the old system,” said Boardman police Sgt. John Allsopp. “And it doesn’t permit officers to talk over each other like the old system did.”

The townships purchased the Motorola radio system at a cost of $1.5 million, which was split evenly between the two.

Boardman paid off its share using Law Enforcement Trust Fund money. Austintown recently paid off its share using money paid to the township from Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

The upgrade of the townships’ dispatch systems was mandated by the Federal Communications Commission.