Encrypted Mobile
Radios Purchase
Richmond Police Department
City Council Meeting
November 18, 2025
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Requested Action
• Approve purchase of up to 45 encrypted
Motorola radios
– Total cost not to exceed $350,000 (includes 7.5%
contingency)
– Radios include mobile and portable units for
vehicles, motorcycles, and new officers
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Financial Impact
• $350,000 included in FY 2025–2026 Police
Budget
– Account: 01191021-400704
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Why Additional Radios Are Needed
• Expand equipment for new police vehicles and
motorcycle unit
– Equip new officers
– Ensure encryption compatibility with existing
systems (RPD, Code Enforcement, CCRP/ROCK)
– Meet regional interoperability standards through
EBRCSA
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Background: Regional Radio Systems
• Early 2000s: RPD led PHREKS consortium
(Pinole, Richmond, Hercules, El Cerrito,
Kensington, San Pablo)
– 2007: EBRCSA formed Joint Powers Authority for
regional interoperability
– EBRCSA supports 43+ public agencies across
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
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Why Encryption Is Required
• State DOJ Bulletin 20-09-CJIS mandates
encryption of Criminal Justice Information
(CJI) and Personal Identifiable Information
(PII)
– FBI CJIS Security Policy Sections 5.10 and 5.13
require encrypted transmission
– Compliance deadline extended to 2023
– Officer safety: prevents public monitoring of
tactical radio traffic
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Previous Council Actions
• Feb 7, 2023 – Approved purchase of 175
encrypted portable and 150 mobile radios
– Dec 3, 2024 – Approved encrypted radios for Code
Enforcement
– Sept 23, 2025 – Approved encrypted radios for
CCRP/ROCK
– Nov 4, 2025 – Requested additional information
on encryption (current item)
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System Limitations & Need for
Upgrade
• PHREKS system (EDACS 800MHz) showed 29
deficiencies:
– Poor in-building coverage
– Inability to communicate with CHP/State Parks
– Unreliable, lacking redundancy
– Frequent system outages, busy signals
– Officers forced to rely on fall-back systems (e.g.,
Nextel)
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EBRCSA Benefits
• Regional interoperability during emergencies
– Improved coverage and reliability (redundant
system architecture)
– $51 million in grant funding to support system
buildout
– Discounted JPA pricing for Motorola radios
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Cost Savings Through EBRCSA
• EBRCSA JPA pricing significantly reduces radio
costs
– Without EBRCSA membership: radios cost 25%–
37.5% more
– Projected cost without membership: $437,500–
$481,250
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Public & Media Access Considerations
• Encrypted channels protect sensitive
information
– Departments will communicate via PIO, dispatch,
social media
– EBRCSA defers all public communication to
member agencies
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Benefits of EBRCSA Membership
• 25–37.5% discount on Motorola equipment
– Shared infrastructure reduces operating cost
– Enables regional interoperability
– Critical during large-scale emergencies
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Why Encryption Is Required
• Mandated by DOJ Bulletin 20-09-CJIS
– Required by CJIS Policy Sections 5.10 and 5.13
– Protects CJI and PII
– Supports Sanctuary City ordinance
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Consequences of Un-Encrypting
Radios
• Non-compliant with federal and state law
– Loss of ability to dispatch for El Cerrito PD
– Delays sharing critical information
– Significant officer safety risks
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Operational Impacts
• Officers must rely on phone or secure laptop
messaging
– City has areas with limited/no cellular coverage
– Increased risk of delayed responses
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Staffing Impacts
• Manual relaying of CJI/PII requires more
Dispatchers
– Estimated 8 additional FTEs needed
– Estimated cost: $1.6M annually
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Infrastructure Impacts
• Furniture redesign: ~$100K
– Cabling/electrical: ~$25K
– Workstations: ~$15K
– Recording equipment: ~$50K
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Training & Labor Impacts
• Complete retraining on new communication
protocol
– Training estimated at 9–18 months
– Meet-and-confer required with RPOA and RPMA
Contract Impacts: El Cerrito PD
• Dispatch contract in effect through June 30,
2027
– El Cerrito must decrypt OR Richmond must dual-
dispatch
– Costs unknown but likely significant
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Legal Liability
• Higher risk of accidental broadcast of CJI/PII
– Potential civil liability to the City
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Impacts of Leaving EBRCSA
• Would require separate FCC frequency
applications
– Need for independent radio system buildout
– Loss of discounted equipment pricing
– Loss of regional interoperability
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Conclusion & Recommendation
• Encryption is legally required and critical for
officer safety
– Radios needed for new vehicles, units, and
personnel
– EBRCSA membership ensures interoperability and
cost savings
– Staff recommends approving purchase of up to 45
encrypted radios
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