Undersheriff Jed Avery told the board that the department's current radios are about 10 years old and they were looking at phasing them out.
"We would normally phase them out so there won't be (such) upfront costs, but last year the state said there is a new encryption mandate that everybody is going to have to start using (encrypted radios) to transmit sensitive material without being intercepted," Avery said.
"I spoke with the state, and they said that by Oct. 1, 2026, if we do not get the encryption, there may be sanctions," he said. "So, I have two problems. I have to get new radios and we have to be compliant with the encryption (requirement)."
He suggested three options for meeting the deadline: full replacement of all radios at a cost of $310,000; replacement of half now and half next year (cost unknown); or encrypting the current radios, which are ten years old and being phased out, at a cost of around $48,000.
"Full replacement ... will get us the radios we need and also help with the encryption issue moving forward," Avery said. "Dispatch will be up and running with their encryption in March. Reed City has already done their add-on encryptions. Everybody should be up and ready around March, and so we would be the last ones to come to the party."
He said that option C, adding encryption to the existing radios, would be the most cost effective, at around $48,000, but they would still need to phase out the older radios for newer models.
"I am asking the board for direction and see if you want to move forward on one of these options, or if you have another option," Avery said.
Gregory said he would like to see the purchase broken up, purchasing some radios now and getting on a rotation for the rest of the purchases.
"If we do the whole big shot right now, then 10 years from now the board of commissioners is going to be sitting in this same position going, 'well, that was $300,000 when they did it ten years ago, it is now half a million,' or whatever it might be," Gregory said. "I would like to see us do what we need to do to comply with the new encryption and then get on a rotation where we can get some done now, and then in a few years do some more, so that when it is time to replace them again it helps the cost."
Commissioner Dave Turner said he had that same thought, that there needs to be a plan in place for replacing outdated technology on a regular basis, every three to five years.
"If we look at doing all of the portables now — one base station and six mobiles — then in 2027 six more mobiles and in 2028 six more mobiles, then we start a cycle of replacing four to six radios a year, your always going to have new technology and you're not going to need $600,000 or $800,000 (to do it)," Turner said. "By looking at that plan, within three years we have replaced all the radios and then you can continue with your rotation instead of not doing anything for five or ten years and having to start all over. You're always going to have technology that is no more than three or four years old."
County Administrator Tim Ladd said one concern he has in delaying replacement of some of the radios means that they will have radios that are pushing 13 or 14 years old.
Another concern, he said, is that when it comes to emergency response, everything is based on muscle memory and if officers pick up a radio, they want to be able to depend on that muscle memory.
"When things get crazy and you pick up a radio, you want to be able to use muscle memory to turn to the frequency you inhabit and talk, especially if someone needs help," Ladd said. "I personally have concerns that having different radios where deputies using this radio today and another radio tomorrow, it totally throws off the safety aspect of the muscle memory if they get into a high stress situation. Nothing good is going to come from that."
"I understand (your reasoning) for purchasing a little bit right now and stretching it out, but I am not sure I support having radios in service that are 13 or 14 years old," he continued. "Ultimately, I think it is whatever the sheriff and the undersheriff think is appropriate for their day to day operations."
Avery said that purchasing all new radios at once would "kill two birds with one stone," replacing the 10 year old equipment with radios that are already encrypted to the state standards.
Ladd said that whether they purchase them all at once or stretch it out, the funds will have to come from the general fund because it is not in the sheriff department budget. He suggested that going forward, through the budget process, they establish a five year plan where they are putting money in the budget each year to plan for major purchases, such as these.
Commissioner Jim Custer agreed, saying that if they were to set aside a certain amount each year in the budget, where in five years they would be able to pay for items they need, it would be beneficial to everyone.
"As long as we are putting something (aside) to where in the future we are not going to have to look at a large (cost), it is already there, it is budgeted each year," Custer said. "You set (things) up where if you figure its going to cost three or four hundred thousand dollars, you budget enough for that over five years so that you have the money to be able to do it."
He requested the sheriff's department bring a plan back to the board that lays out a road map for budgeting for future purchases, to which Avery agreed.
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