I am presently looking at Section 3: Specifications & Requirements portion of bid documents for the Lawrence Police Department new radio system.
Configuration #1 (Base Bid)
Single channel, single site conventional 700/800 MHZ P25 Phase II system with remote receivers:
Radio dispatch consoles (3)
Primary single-channel repeater at Tower Hill
Remote voted single-channel receiver site at LFD Engine 6
Remote voted single-channel receiver site at the Mt. Vernon water tower
Connectivity provided by microwave
Configuration #2 (Add Bid Alternate #1)
SIngle site, four (4) channel trunked 700/800 MHZ P25 Phase II system with remote receivers:
Radio dispatch consoles (3)
Four (4) channel trunked site at Tower Hill
Radio dispatch consoles (3)
Four (4) channel remote voted receiver site at LFD Engine 4
Four (4) channel remote voted receiver site atthe Mt. Vernon water tower
Planned system users - 350
Less then 2% blocking in the busy hour
Connectivity provided by microwave
People that I know have indicated that the system will be P25, at a minimum.
The primary dispatch channel is supposed to be strictly P25 with the LPD detectives getting an encrypted frequency, similar to what the Methuen PD has. SNEU (Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit) will remain encrypted. The LPD has 2 pairs of frequencies in the VHF - High range. The Auxiliary PD use a pair of them when they are on duty. The second pair maybe used for data as some cruisers do have computers. The LPD is also listed on frequencies in 453/458, 460/465, and all of the BAPERN/NEMLEC frequencies. The SNEU channel is frequently mentioned on the regular dispatch channel as 'Channel 16'.
I don't know if the above mentioned Kenwood Viking series of radios would be capable of supporting such a diverse number of frequencies that the LPD uses.
Due to the City of Lawrence's Gas Emergency, I haven't had a chance to talk with anyone off the record to find out exactly what is actually happening with their radio system.
In closing, I post this piece of information from the beginning of the bid document's SECTION 3:
Section 2.0 CURRENT SYSTEM INFORMATION
Radio System
The Police Department's single - site, single - channel UHF radio system operates under the following primary FCC license:
Police Dispatch KYR956* 482.5625
*this license expired in 2011. The City is operating on 482.5625 MHZ under FCC license WQON661 held by the Fire Department of the Town of Methuen with Methuen's consent.
I hope that some of this information may clear up some of the questions about the Lawrence Police radio system.