November 4, 2025
Department
DATE: November 4, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Bisa French, Chief of Police
Subject:
Purchase Order for Encrypted Radios from Motorola
Solutions
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $350,000 expenditure, which includes a
7.5 percent contingency, is included within the approved Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Police Department budget
(Account String: 01191021-400704).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
In compliance with the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) directive, mandating that all public law
enforcement agencies encrypt their radio
telecommunications. The City of Richmond Police
Department staff must purchase additional radios to outfit additional vehicles and motor units.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE the purchase of 35 mobile police radios and
10 mobile police radios for motorcycles from Motorola
Solutions for an amount not to exceed $350,000, which
includes a 7.5 per contingency – Police Department
(Chief Bisa French 510-621-1802).
AGENDA
REPORT
November 4, 2025
DISCUSSION:
The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) issued a directive in October 2020 mandating all public law enforcement agencies to encrypt their radio telecommunications by December 31, 2022. That deadline was later extended to June 2023. There is now an updated encryption required for all agencies in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. This will eliminate the use of outdated communications equipment.
The purchase would add 35 mobile auto units as well as 10 mobile motorcycle units.
This number was generated by a recent internal audit of equipment. The previous purchase of 175 replacement mobile radios in 2023 outfitted many of the department’s patrol cars at that time; however, the department has purchased several additional vehicles and must purchase additional radios to outfit the vehicles. To comply with the Department of Justice’s mandatory encryption requirement and maintain interoperability with surrounding agencies, this additional purchase is required. The California Department of Justice directive was issued to protect private information and prevent individuals’ sensitive data from being publicly disclosed. Sensitive information transmitted over police radios can be broadcast, recorded, or transcribed across multiple platforms that unsecured in real time.
The initial selection of Motorola Solutions Inc. to be 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 our specifications and radio channels, as well as encryption (Attachment 1). Motorola Solutions is the only provider that can supply the encryption for the Motorola system used by the police department and many of the radio add-on features will make Richmond PD’s radios compatible with not only neighboring cities, but neighboring counties as well (Attachment 2).
Subsequent to City Council approval, City staff will coordinate with the County’s Department of Information Technology to prepare for installation of the required software, and with the Public Works Department to schedule installation of the mobile units in police vehicles upon delivery.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Motorola Quotation
Attachment 2 – Sole Source