By Dan Abendschein, Staff Writer
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

WEST COVINA, Calif. —The city authorized a $3.5 million project Tuesday to replace its current emergency communications radio.

The new system will allow police, fire and public works departments to communicate with each other and departments in other cities.

The radio system was originally budgeted  at a bit more than $4 million, but the city was able to find vendors to bid at lower rates than expected. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

"This is a critical system, so police and fire can interact," said Councilman Steve Herfert at Tuesday's meeting. "After 9/11 we realized how important that is."

During the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, New York fire and police departments had problems communicating, which may have led to firefighter deaths, according to the federal 9/11 Commission.

The West Covina system might never face the challenge that the New York system did, said West Covina police Chief Frank Wills, but the changes will mean much more effective policing.

Right now, Wills said, if a suspect flees into a neighboring city, coordination with that city usually ends up requiring dispatchers in each city to call each other and relay information to their officers in the field.

"It is like a game of telephone," said Wills. "By the time it passes through three people, critical information can be lost."

The new system will eventually allow West Covina to maintain radio contact with every city in Los Angeles County, said Wills, and to maintain radio contact with the station from as far away as San Bernardino County.

The system will be installed in two stages, said Wills. Within six months, the different West Covina agencies will be able to communicate with each other, with all the cities adjacent to West Covina, and with Azusa and Glendora. Within nine to 15 months, Wills expects to be able to talk to agencies in every city in the county.

The bill for the new radio system comes at a difficult time for the city, which is projecting a nearly $3 million deficit for next year's budget.

"We're in a tough spot because of the current economic situation, but this is something the city needs to do," said City Manager Andrew Pasmant.

The city received a $514,000 federal grant to help pay for the system, but the rest of the money, about $3 million will likely come from reserves over a seven-year period, according to city staff.

The city staff also asked the council to vote on an ordinance that could have raised up to $1 million annually from a fee on 9-1-1 calls. But the measure died at Tuesday's meeting.

"This is not the time to be looking at new fees," said Councilwoman Shelley Sanderson, at the meeting. "I believe it is tough enough for people as it is right now."

The radio system was originally budgeted in August 2007 at a bit more than $4 million, but the city was able to find vendors to bid at lower rates than expected, officials said.

Copyright 2008 San Gabriel Valley Tribune