New Digital Radios Coming to Police Department

With Milwaukee County law enforcement agencies moving toward a digital radio system, the Whitefish Bay Village Board has agreed to purchase its first digital radios.

In a unanimous vote at Monday night's board meeting, trustees agreed to spend $50,400 on seven mobile radios and six portable radios, which was already authorized in this year's budget. The will ask the board to spend another $50,400 next year for another mobile radio and 12 more portable radios. The department will also upgrade six radios that were purchased a couple years ago.

Currently, all county law enforcement agencies use 800 MHz radios that operate on an analog Milwaukee County radio system, but all agencies have been advised that the system will be upgraded to a digital system in the near future, requiring new radio equipment.

Whitefish Bay Police Chief Robert Jacobs said the upgrade may start in the North Shore because one digital site has been installed in the North Shore.

Digital radio equipment will be installed in the , which Whitefish Bay will join this year. Of the seven participating North Shore municipalities, Jacob said Brown Deer, Bayside, River Hills and Fox Point have already purchased the digital radios, and Shorewood, Whitefish Bay and Glendale have not. 

"The new radios are going to be put to use immediately, but as soon as the digital upgrade goes into effect we will participate and make use of the system," Jacobs said.

The only vendor that provides the radios is Motorola, so Jacobs said the village will be subject to any price increases the provider chooses to impose in the future.

"They set up the whole system in Milwaukee County, and Motorola has a closed system that requires permission for any new radios that come onto the system," he said. "So far, they’re the only ones we’ve found in Milwaukee County that can meet the requirements."