Eavesdroppers on Cass County law enforcement radios may soon be left in the dark as the sheriff’s office gets ready to invest in a new communications technology. The deputies will begin to use an encrypted radio system in October that should provide a more comprehensive signal but bar access to the public during emergency communications. This investment of 100,000 would be a big step toward improvement in the area of officer safety and operational security.
Upgraded coverage provokes the choice of a technology upgrade choice
Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn implemented the transition of the department to the Starcom21 digital encrypted radio system in October as cited safety of the officers and the extended service coverage as the main motivation factors. The Journal Courier states that for close to three years, the sheriff’s department, with the Cass County 911 Board, has been doing research on the systems before coming up with this decision.
“Our number one priority is the safety of our officers and other responders,” Ohrn explained.
The sheriff stated that Cass County has particular communication issues, and in some places, cellphones and radios do not work at all, leaving holes in their emergency communication that can be deadly.
The cars belonging to deputies will have in-car repeaters to enhance coverage in areas where there have been problems across the entire county. This technology means that the officers will have consistent communications as they work in the farthest and furthest places where the traditional radio signal will not find its way. Four months later, in October, deputies will be changed to a digital encrypted radio system that will generate better coverage but will not give the public access to emergency communications. This 100,000-dollar investment is a major step towards officer security and security of operations.
Starcom21 system enables interagency coordination
The sheriff’s department is copying the footsteps of several other agencies in Cass County, which is now on the Starcom21 system that has already been used by hundreds of law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Illinois. This incorporates the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Conservation Police, and the Secretary of State Police, where communication opportunities are made seamless.
“The state police do come through here, especially if we need their help,” Ohrn said. “Before, we weren’t able to talk to them. If they are some of the local guys, we might have their phone number to call them, but if it’s someone new, we would have no way of talking with them.”
Financial investment implies commitment on a long-term basis
Radios and in-car repeater systems cost more than $100,000 in the initial outlay and are financed through the county′s public safety fund. Moreover, the maintenance and repair subscription will cost 6,000 per year, offering a full support system for maintenance and repairs.
“The monthly subscription covers the cost of maintenance if a tower or anything breaks,” Ohrn explained. “It is fixed at no charge to us. If a radio is broken, we will have to replace those.”
The sheriff remarked that it would have been more costly to upgrade the old system, which was outmoded, as compared to the implementation of the new technology.
The move towards encrypted digital radio in Cass County is a sea-change in law enforcement communications values, with a new emphasis laid on the protection and safety of officers and security of operations over the ability of the general populace to monitor said communications. Although scanner users will no longer be able to pick up on the communications of the sheriff’s department, the communications system should cover an even greater area and allow interagency communication to be smooth.