December 3, 2024
Community Development
DATE: December 3, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Lina Velasco, Director of Community Development
Eva Mann, Code Enforcement Manager
Subject:
Purchase of Encrypted Radios for Code Enforcement
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The one-time purchase of 11 encrypted hand radios is expected to cost $75,079.72. The funds have been
budgeted in the FY24/25 budget, account string:
01163019-400603.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
N/A
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
New radios are needed to comply with the California
Department of Justice (CA DOJ) directive mandating that all public law enforcement agencies encrypt their radio telecommunications by 2023. Given the nature of the
Code Enforcement Division’s work, they are provided
with radios providing direct access to the police
communication dispatch center for officer safety. The
current radios are being phased out and need to be
updated and replaced to transition to the new encryption and radio frequencies.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE the purchase of 11 encrypted hand radios from Motorola Solutions, for an expected total cost of
$75,079.72 for Code Enforcement – Community
Development Department (Lina Velasco/Eva Mann 510-
621-1283).
AGENDA
REPORT
December 3, 2024
DISCUSSION:
The safety and welfare of City personnel is extremely important and a high priority for management and supervision. Code Enforcement Officers are responsible for the enforcement of private property violations, including vehicle abatement, and vacant structures. In addition, Code Enforcement provides regulatory oversight of commercial cannabis activities as well as alcohol and tobacco retailers. These functions may also require the issuance of administrative citations. Their work often exposes them to hostile individuals and unsafe situations. For safety purposes, Code Enforcement Officers are assigned individual portable radios that provide direct access to the police communication dispatch center. These radios are a necessary tool for officer safety.
In 2023, the Richmond Police Department began transitioning to new encrypted radios provided by Motorola Solutions to comply with the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) directive mandating that all public law enforcement agencies encrypt their radio telecommunications by 2023. Once this transition is complete, the current radios used by Code Enforcement will become obsolete, and incompatible with the new encryption and radio frequencies. Therefore, City staff are requesting approval to purchase these new radios to maintain access for Code Enforcement Officers.
The initial selection of Motorola Solutions Inc. to be the sole provider of radio equipment was made by the East Bay Regional Communications Systems Authority (EBRCSA), of which, the City of Richmond is a member, to ensure continued interoperability across participating agencies. The price of each radio includes programing to City-requested specifications and radio channels, as well as encryption. Motorola Solutions is the only provider which can supply the encryption for the Motorola system used by Code Enforcement and the Richmond Police Department.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Motorola Quotation
Attachment 2 – Motorola Sole Source