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Warren County to spend $1.25 million federal grant on police radio upgrades
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
By BILL WICHERT
The Express-Times
WHITE TWP. | As part of a multi-phased plan to upgrade emergency communications, Warren County officials plan to spend a $1.25 million federal grant on new radios for all 10 police departments in the county.
County freeholders are scheduled to vote Wednesday on accepting the Community Oriented Policing Services grant. The car and handheld radios should be purchased within two years, county Public Safety Director David Gallant said.
"I'm excited about being able to provide this upgrade for the departments throughout the county," Gallant said.
Additional plans to improve emergency communications include refining channels for fire and rescue squads and establishing a communications tower in Allamuchy Township, Gallant said.
The benefits of the new radios include an "officer down" button and an identification feature that allows 911 dispatchers to immediately know which radio is communicating with them.
Police officers typically notify dispatchers of their locations at the beginning of the incidents they're responding to, Washington Township, N.J., police Chief James McDonald said. With the proposed upgrades, dispatchers would be able to recognize the radio of an injured officer who was pushing on his transmit key.
"It can definitely help in an emergency situation," McDonald said.
Pohatcong Township police Chief Paul Hager said he hopes the radio upgrades improve communication within the municipality. The remote areas of the township have become dead spots for emergency communications, Hager said
After battling the dead spots with a series of radio upgrades over the years, Hager said, "I think this will be the final step."
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
By BILL WICHERT
The Express-Times
WHITE TWP. | As part of a multi-phased plan to upgrade emergency communications, Warren County officials plan to spend a $1.25 million federal grant on new radios for all 10 police departments in the county.
County freeholders are scheduled to vote Wednesday on accepting the Community Oriented Policing Services grant. The car and handheld radios should be purchased within two years, county Public Safety Director David Gallant said.
"I'm excited about being able to provide this upgrade for the departments throughout the county," Gallant said.
Additional plans to improve emergency communications include refining channels for fire and rescue squads and establishing a communications tower in Allamuchy Township, Gallant said.
The benefits of the new radios include an "officer down" button and an identification feature that allows 911 dispatchers to immediately know which radio is communicating with them.
Police officers typically notify dispatchers of their locations at the beginning of the incidents they're responding to, Washington Township, N.J., police Chief James McDonald said. With the proposed upgrades, dispatchers would be able to recognize the radio of an injured officer who was pushing on his transmit key.
"It can definitely help in an emergency situation," McDonald said.
Pohatcong Township police Chief Paul Hager said he hopes the radio upgrades improve communication within the municipality. The remote areas of the township have become dead spots for emergency communications, Hager said
After battling the dead spots with a series of radio upgrades over the years, Hager said, "I think this will be the final step."
