Special Notice / Hearing: None
Vote Required: 4/5ths
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Christina Corpus, Sheriff
Subject: Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) in the amount of $4,222,048 appropriating Proposition 172 funds from the Public Safety Augmentation Fund to the Sheriff’s Office State Aid Public Safety budget to fund one-time expenditures for radio communications equipment replacement and upgrades
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) appropriating Proposition 172 funds from the Public Safety Augmentation Fund to the Sheriff’s Office State Aid Public Safety budget in the amount of $4,222,048 to fund one-time expenditures for radio communications equipment replacement and upgrades.
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BACKGROUND:
The Sheriff’s Office utilizes and relies upon the County’s Motorola P25 digital trunked radio communications system and its over 900 portable/mobile radio devices for equipping law enforcement personnel of the Patrol, Homeland Security, and Corrections Divisions, as well as the Investigations Bureau to provide community policing services and protect public safety in all cities of the County, its unincorporated areas, and eight contract jurisdictions. Therefore, it is mission critical that the Sheriff’s Office’s fleet of portable/mobile radio devices are of the latest, most efficient and effective technology to ensure seamless and uninterrupted communications.
The Sheriff’s Office has replaced and upgraded a portion of its older radio fleet with 425 new Motorola APXTM 8000 all-band 4-in-1 P25 portable two-way radios and 50 new Motorola APXTM N50 single-band P25 portable two-way radios. In collaboration with County Procurement, the Sheriff’s Office completed the purchase utilizing the Houston Galveston Area Cooperative competitive bid contract for optimal pricing. These radio devices have been deployed and have added the latest safety technologies for 7/800MHz and VHF and UHF RF bands and multi-mode system access, adaptive audio engine and ultra-loud speakers, secure voice/data and multiple hardware encryptions, and firmware and software updates and will offer law enforcement personnel limitless interoperability, clear, loud audio and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting approval of the the Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) to appropriate the funding in the current FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the Board authorize appropriation of Proposition 172 funding in its budget to cover the one-time costs for radio communications equipment replacement and upgrades.
EQUITY IMPACT:
Replacing and upgrading older radio fleet with new radio device models with latest technologies is a significant step toward enhancing the Sheriff’s Office’s communication infrastructure and operational efficiency and effectiveness, particularly in times of crisis. The new radio equipment will support more reliable, secure, and timely communication and response times across diverse regions of the County, including rural and unincorporated areas, as well as historically marginalized, vulnerable, and underserved populations. These communities often face systemic barriers in receiving timely assistance during natural disasters, medical emergencies, or public safety incidents. By improving communication capabilities, the Sheriff’s Office will ensure all communities, regardless of geographical location, economic status, or demographics, receive equitable access to critical public safety services such as law enforcement, crime prevention, public policing, and emergency response, which will ultimately contribute to saving lives and protecting vulnerable groups.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the ATR appropriates the funding for the one-time costs associated with the Sheriff’s Office’s replacement and upgrade of critical public safety radio communications equipment in the current FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.