Youngstown council agreed to move ahead with a new police and fire radio system

By David Skolnick | April 6, 2017 at 12:06a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

City council authorized the board of control Wednesday to purchase a new police and fire radio system.

The new microwave system would cost about $1.7 million with about $200,000 more in interest paid over 10 years to Motorola – or about $190,000 annually.

Not only would the two departments get a new radio system, but it would be a financial savings for the city, police Chief Robin Lees said.

That’s because Youngs-town is paying about $350,000 to $375,000 annually to AT&T for maintenance of copper lines used for the existing analog system and the cost keeps increasing, Lees said.

“We’re on a deteriorating system, and we could realize a considerable savings by switching to a microwave system,” he said.

The new system could arrive as soon as June, pending board of control approval, which is expected, he said.

One issue that hasn’t been finalized is whether the radio traffic will be encrypted, meaning it couldn’t be heard by the public or the media without a special radio receiver, which costs about $3,000.

Lees said he wants the system to be encrypted because some criminals listen to police scanner activity.

“Given the benefits, most of the traffic will probably be encrypted,” Lees said.

Mayor John A. McNally said he’ll follow Lees’ recommendation on encryption.

With an encrypted system, Lees said, officers could give out personal information about victims and suspects. Currently, he said, that’s done on cellphones or computers in police cruisers.

Campbell and Boardman are among local police departments that use encryption radio systems.

Also Wednesday, council authorized the board of control to spend about $13.7 million to make electrical equipment purchases and improvements to its wastewater treatment plant on Poland Avenue.

It’s part of a $148 million agreement the city has with the U.S. and Ohio Environmental Protection agencies to improve its wastewater system and eliminate many combined storm and sanitary sewer overflows, said Charles Shasho, the city’s deputy director of public works.

“It’s the start of Phase 1 of our long-term control plan,” he said.

The plant’s electrical system hasn’t been upgraded since the 1980s, Shasho added.