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9C <br /> Page 16 <br /> ��,���� <br /> � <br /> . . <br /> �'"��.zu <br /> Preparing for FCC-Mandated Changes in County <br /> Law Enforcemenf Radia Networks <br /> issue Stat�ment � <br /> Ho�uv can San Mateo County best prepare for xn.anda.ted.changas to i#s public safety radio <br /> nefworks? <br /> Background <br /> As part of an inquiry into emergency preparedness, the San Mateo Couaty Civil Grand <br /> Jury(Grand Jury)examined the radio communication ca.pabilities of the Sheriff and local <br /> police departments.The pertinent Federal Communications Commissian(FCC) <br /> regulations apply to law enforcement,fire,and ambulance service,but this report deafs <br /> only with law enfo�rcement carnmunications, <br /> San Mateo County's digitali radio communication network was built in 2001-2004 at a <br /> cos2 of appmximateIy$24 mi3.lion.lfie network ttses state-of-tt:e-art technoiogy,is <br /> resilient in ca�se of hardware failures,and can be expanded to accommodate additionat <br /> users.A consequence of this technology is the complexity and high cast o#'thc <br /> receiving/t�an.smiiting stations and the mobile radios. The cost of these stations might be � <br /> one reason that there are far fewer digitai receivers in the populated areas than there are <br /> anatog receivezs.The network is vperated by the Information Services Department(ISD) <br /> and is used by county departments,the Sheriff,and the Redwood City Police Deparhment_ <br /> The digitai radio network is aperated as an enterprise and users pay a service fee. San <br /> Matea County atso operates and mainta,ius four analog mut�al-aid radio channels, <br /> accessible to alI law enforcement agencies for iarge-scale or county-wide operations. <br /> Eighteen Iocal police departments2 in the couniy rely on the many mature 1ocaI analog <br /> systems tha#they own. In the last two decades most of these departments have instaIled <br /> multiple analog receivers in their jurisdictions to support the increased use of ha�ndheld <br /> 'See Agpendix A for a glossary of tarms. <br /> 2 See Appendix B for a list of cities. • <br /> 29 . <br />