Richmond Interview

David Schoenberger

Richmond Police Department Interview
June 12, 2000
Capt. Larry L. Beadles

System Structure

How many users of the system? Police? Fire? Other services?
There are 2,750 users of the radio systems. This includes police, fire, and public works. There are two dozen agencies that use radios in the city.

Problems with too many users wanting access at a given time?
There are no access problems.

Problems with frequency allocations?
"Not any more." The city is going to an 800 MHz digital system next spring, and there are no longer any problems.

How many tower locations?
There are two main transmitter sites.

Do the tower locations provide adequate coverage of the city?
"Yes."

System Performance

Problems with interference?
"Occasionally" there are problems with interference. There is sometimes radio "skip" from D.C. Sunspot activity also sometimes causes problems.

Problems with missed radio calls/cutoffs?
"No."

Problems in major emergency/disaster with overuse?
No, because the city has contingency plans.

Problems with system failing entirely?
If the transmitter goes down, communications would simply move to another system.

Problems with related support systems, such as computers and 911 services?
The city has "never had a 9-1-1 failure." Sometimes the city cannot use their Enhanced-9-1-1 system, however. The 9-1-1 system has "redundant trunking."

Options in case of system failure?
The city has another transmitter. The city could "lose the whole set" of transmitters and still be able to transmit. Richmond has "redundant transmit" capabilities.

How satisfied with the system are the dispatchers?
The dispatchers "don't have much to compare [the system] to." The system is "fine" for them. The upcoming 800 MHz system will "change" the situation.

How satisfied with the system are officers?
The radio system has "done fine" for the officers.

How satisfied with the system are communications managers/support personnel?
Communications managers are "very satisfied, until educated on [the] new system." The current system is "arcane."

Is interoperability a problem, especially in major incidents?
The city puts its channels in the radios of the local universities, making communication with them smooth. In terms of interoperability, the "fire [is] better than police right now." Currently, the police "must be patched through three sovereign jurisdictions." The jurisdictions are dispatching separately now. This will change with the digital trunked system, when patching will be much easier.

System Cost

How much did the current system cost?
"No idea." An estimate is $28 million for the current system and $75 million for the new system.

How much are maintenance costs per year?
Maintenance costs run $25,000 per year. This includes funding for the city's radio shop.

Will the new trunked system decrease maintenance costs?
"Don't know."

Adequate funding for maintenance/upgrades?
"Yes."

Is cost-benefit analysis used in determining upgrades/procurement?
"Presently, we do [use cost-benefit analysis] because of the age of the system." The city is careful of what it spends. With the 800 MHz system, "costs should be low at first."

System Upgrades

What are planned upgrades to radio system?
The major upgrade planned is the installation of the 800 MHz digital trunked system, covering three jurisdictions.

What are planned upgrades in support systems (e.g. CAD, MDTs, Enhanced 911, etc.)?
The city already has MDCs (Mobile Data Computers). The difference between MDTs (Mobile Data Terminals) and MDCs are that MDTs are "fed data," and MDCs are actually computers.

How would a trunked system help/hurt the city?
The signal in a trunked system is shorter. The system must be tested on "leaves on trees." The system must be tested extensively in general. With a digital trunked system, a computer must reconstruct a voice; the computer simply cannot reconstruct voices sometimes. Essentially, the department does not "know what's around the corner until [it] finds out." Testing must be done underground and in buildings. The city is doing internal wiring to improve the radio signal of the trunked system. The Fire Department has done some of this testing.

System Politics

Disagreements with local government over technology upgrades?
There are no disagreements with the local governments involved in upgrading to the trunked system. It was "decided at [the] highest levels to go through with it." The project was a "team effort."

Conflicts with communications managers and radio manufacturers (Motorola, GE, etc.)?
"Nothing major." There have been some "bumps in the road."

Has the system been in the news much recently?
The current radio system has not been in the news. There has been "some news" about the 800 MHz system.

How satisfied is the public with the system?
Regarding the radio system, the "average citizen doesn't know the difference."