DPS communications system not Y2K complaint

The Department of Public Safety is seeking additional funding of $500,000 to upgrade its deteriorating radio communications system and make sure its ready when the millennium computer glitch comes.

Failure to upgrade the system will hamper the delivery of services because police cars, ambulance and fire trucks will be not able to respond to emergency calls, said Vicente Seman, DPS director of Police Services, in a memorandum sent to the Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio.

Currently, DPS is using the Motorola Smartnet System which is over eight years old. An evaluation of the system by Communication Specialists Inc. (CSI) in December 1998 revealed that the Smartnet System, including the repeater and console, are not Y2K compliant.

The Emergency Management Office and CSI have told DPS that the Smartnet System has been deteriorating since February 1999 and will get worse by September 1999.

The console at DPS has been out of service since April 1999, which puts the life of the police officers in danger. The repeater and console have shut down in the past, causing its communications system to breakdown.

DPS has invested over $30,000 since October 1998 to repair and maintain these systems, but was unable to repair the console since it needs to be replaced and upgraded to prevent any possibility of a computer shutdown brought about by the millennium bug.

“Radio communication in public safety is an essential and integral part to our personnel. Without radio communication, police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians cannot be dispatched to emergency calls. This alone hampers public safety and is a major crisis,” explained Seman.

Seman underscored the need to replace the repeater and console immediately to ensure that the department has an effective and efficient communications system.

DPS wants its current $14.3 million budget maintained for FY 2000, but the budget office has already earmarked $13.2 million, which is still higher than the $12.4 million spending limit set by the government last November for the agency.

Patrol car operations for the next fiscal year may be affected after the budget for car lease has been cut from $1.1 million to just over $800,000, according to DPS.

The budget office has also drastically reduced the department’s budget for fuel to $18,000 for FY 2000 from the current appropriation of $147,000. DPS burns approximately $13,000 worth of fuel every month.

Maintenance of patrol cars alone cost $50,000 a year. The leases for patrol cars will expire in December 1999.