HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 19, 1981 (32)COUNCIL Following receipt of a report entitled, "r'irst
AUTHORIZES 911 Phase Report of the Telecommunications Consulting
IMPLEMENTATION Study", as prepared by Dr. Henry L. Richter,
Council, on motion of Mayor Pro Tempore Murphy,
Katnich second, directed Staff to implement the
proposal contained within the report, and the
necessary installations for 911, including the
automated number I.D. System.
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01% CiCUNCIL
JAMES A. McU►R-TY. Mayor
ROBERT G. MURPHY. Mayor Pro Tern
RICHARD L. HUGHES
WALTER KATNICH
LAMES W. PMtRTON. It.
CITY OF LODI
CITY HALL. 221 WEST PINE STREE T
POST OFFICE BOX 320
LODI. CALIFORNIA 95241
(209) 3345634
September 23, 1981
Mr. C. E. Dixon
County Administrator
San JOaquin County Courthouse
Rom 707
222 E. Weber Avenue
Stockton, CA 95202
Re: 911 - Emergency Telephone System - Automatic
Number Identification
Gentlemen:
HENRY A. CAVES. It,
City Manager
ALICE M. PZIMCHE
City Clens
RONALD M. STEIN
CRY Attorney
This letter will confirm action taken by the Lodi
City Council, whereby the Council at its regular
meeting of August 19, 1981 directed Staff to imple-
ment the necessary installation for the 911 -Emergency
Telephone System, including the automatic number
identification.
Should you have any questions regarding this action,
please do not hesitate to call this office.
Very truly yours,
Alice M. Reimche
City Clerk
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TCI -210 071
July 24, 1981
Submitted to:
Mr. Jerry Glen
Assistant City Manager
CIT71 OF LODI
221 west Pine Street
Lodi, CA 95240
FIRST PHASE REPORT
TO THE
CITY OF LODI CITY COUNCIL
TASKS 1, 2, and 3
Approved by:
Y
Henry L. Richter, Ph.D., PC
Presider
TELECO14M CONSULTANTS# INC.
8812 East Las Tunas Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
TASKS 1, 21 and 3
This report documents Tasks 1, 2 and 3 of the TCI consulting
contract with Lodi, and summarizes both data and findings.
Some of the information has.been presented piecemeal to the
staffs of the Police Department, the Fire Department, and the City
Manager's office. This allowed the accuracy of some of the
observations and conclusions to be checked; adjustments have been
made where TCI has become aware of them.
1. MW OW -- BASELIM DRTA
Task One involved collecting and examining the FCC license data
for the city; all is in order at the present time. TCI took a set of
radio and telephone traffic statistics in both the police and fire
dispatch centers. This was reduced to chart form to help in
determining the necessary staffing patterns, necessary telephone
lines, and other requirements.
POLICE
A radio coverage survey was completed, during which time two TCI
field engineers made actual signal strength measurements of the
police system throughout Lodi (i.e., quality of radio coverage).
Their conclusions substantiate some of the expressed difficulties.
Other radio difficulties that have been reported by police appear to
have resulted from poor radio usage (improper training) and the lack
of a proper battery -charging procedure for handheld radios. This
situation is typical; as yet, TCI has not worked with a department
that did not have this problem.
Three staff members conducted an evaluation of the police
dispatch center; the equipment in iL was documented, floor and
PAGE 1
equipment plans of the area were drawn, and time was spent observing
operations in the dispatch center and riding in the police cars. As
a result, a set of deficiency statements and suggestions was prepared
which has already been provided to this police staffs comments on
someof these appear below. Several serious deficiencies in the
radio equipment and system sof which many people were already aware)
were identified and will be addressed soon.
FIRE
TCI staff also performed an evaluation in the fire dispatch
center and observed operations there. Interviews were conducted with
some of the key fire personnel to determine how Lodi's police and
fire departments use and view their communications system.
TELEPHONE SYSTEM
TCI has also examined the telephone system and its utilization
by the Police Department, Fire Department, and local government (City
Hall). TCI has examined present telephone charges and expects to
report an evaluation of the effectiveness of Lodi's present
telephone expenditures that has been based on an analysis of the
bills.
2.. MM TM
Task Two of the TCI work statement involved interviewing the
management and numerous key police and fire department individuals to
determine their expressed and perceived needs for Lodi's
public -safety communications. These responses are characteristic of
public -safety organizations similar to Lodi; the needs cover the
subject range of dispatch center layout, dispatch console equipment
capability,. radio system effectiveness, radio system coverage,
mutual -aid considerations, communication with the Sheriff's
Department and other nearby departments, and access to the various
external data bases that are available to the city.
PAGE 2
The TCI staff documented Lodi 's operating methodology and
understands both that department's dispatch process and the
additional duties that are required of both police and fire dispatch
personnel. Particular attention has been paid to the separate
operations of police and fire, so that the possibility of merging the
two can be considered, and the subject of a possible merger has been
discussed at some length with the management of the two departments.
RADIO COVERAGE
Better radio coverage is among the foremost needs. The
examination of the reports of coverage difficulties, and of the TCI
field measurements, demonstrated that Lodi's present police radio
system operates marginally (as well as any typical local government,
VHP-highband, simplex system does), but this is significantly below
the capability which could be expected.
Most complaints about coverage relate to mobile to mobile or to
mobile to handheld -unit cOmmunications. Citywide coverage in this
mode will, of course, be limited. Coverage from the base station to
either mobiles or handheld radios was found to be only minimally
acceptable. It appears that the quality of communications is poor
because a special audio f ilter has not been installed at either
department'u base station; this allows a loud 'buzz' to cover the
transmissions.
A degrading influence is the fact that the police transmitting
antenna is not located on top of the antenna mast. Its height on the
tower was limited to reduce interference from another department to
the north. This reflects a compromise that often is made; in this
case, the damage of interference was balanced against the frustration
of poor coverage.
Users need to be educated in the proper way to use a handheld
radio, and a better battery -charging routine needs to be establised
and followed.
PAGE 3
f
The present police and fire consoles have reached (or passed)
the end of their useful life. Spare parts are no longer obtainable,
and work on then is quite difficult due to their age and to the lack
of physical access to them. They also lack the many capabilities
which are present in more modern console hardware.
Early attention needs to be paid to putting the basement roam
(where the fixed transmitting and receiving equipment is contained)
into better order. The room is very cluttered, the routing of wires
is quite bad, the room has inadequate cooling, and it is certain that
maintenance must be difficult for the technicians. TCI has been in
contact with Delta Communications, the city's new radio maintenance
contractor, to put some of these affairs into order.
.:i• :��:... ..
TCI analysed the situation, considered the possible alternatives
for the police radio system (for joint dispatch and for the console
equipment) , and is noir ready to make recommendations. The
recommendations are general and are being presented to you for your
consideration and approval. After approval or modification of the
modifications has been received, TCI will move ahead rapidly in
developing specifications for the equipment that is needed.
POLICE RADIO
The first recommendation concerns the police radio system. TCI
studied the system extensively, made actual f ield strength
measurements, and measured the effectiveness of the base radio
equipment and the mobile equipment. At this point two alternatives
should be considered. One would be to replace a considerable amount
of the present police VHF highband radio system and add some
augmenting satellite receivers around the city. Converting the
system to use 'mobile relay' equipment (which in effect, repeats all
transmissions so that anyone within range can hear any transmission
made by either a mobile radio or a handheld radio) would be
desirable.
PAGE 4
• r 1
The other alternative would be to develop a new radio system on
a new frequency band. This latter suggestion was advanced because
San Joaquin Sheriff's Department is in the process of developing a
unified countywide radio system in the UHF spectrum. When this has
been completed, neither the Lodi units nor dispatcher will be able to
access the Sheriff's radio system because it will be operating in a
different frequency region. The Lodi police staff feels that
communication with sheriff's vehicles would be desirable (Stockton PD
also operates in the same OHF range, and contact with them would also
be possible if this band change were to be made.) In addition, since
the San Joaquin Sheriff's Department currently operates high-altitude
sites, these are available for occasional use by Lodi police
personnel when out of the city, and would permit police to contact
either their own department or the sheriff's dispatcher, if
necessary. This range would be countywide and even into adjacent
counties. That present capability will disappear with the Sheriff's
Department changeover.
These two alternatives were considered and the implications for
each studied. It is the recommendation of the TCI staff that the
City of Lodi develop a radio system in the OHF portion of the
spectrum so that it will be compatible with the sheriff's new radio
system= further, it will be able to operate in the mobile relay mode,
thus allowing direct communication between everyone with a police
radio (including handheld radios) within the Lodi city limits and for
some distance outside the city. Preliminary tests indicate that the
new system recommended here would have a communication radius from
the police department for handheld radios out in the open of about
eight to ten miles.
The cost implications of correcting the problems in the police
radio system should be considered. The city has a quotation from
General Electric to install a series of satellite receivers around
the edge of the city and to put in a voter -comparator system to
augment the now -deficient coverage. In addition to that expense,
because of its age, much of the equipment should be replaced so that
PAGE 5
the operating effectiveness of the system can be maintained. TCI
estimates the cost of improving the existing system to be about
=35,0001 the GE bid for just the "quick fix" ( satellite receivers)
was $20,000.
TCI feels that conversion of the system to the OHF frequency
range should cost about $50,000. This would buy a totally new radio
system, with a lifetime that would well exceed the present system
(even a system with the $35,000 corrections). The long-term
viewpoint suggests that moving to UHP would be more cost-effective,
as it Mould provide radio coverage that will be superior to even that
of the upgraded highband system and would allow continued mutual -aid
communications with the Sheriff's Department or with other nearby law
enforcement organizations.
SECOND POLICE FREQUENCY
e
In addition, the Police Department expressed the desire for a
second radio frequency for tactical operations to avoid congesting
the dispatch frequency. A move to OHF would a possible solution to
this need. The sheriffIa department intends to establish tactical
frequencies of their own, one for north county and one for sou`h
county. The tactical north coverage would be provided by mobile
relay equipment located at the Lodi Police Department with antennas
on the county tower in back. If an arrangement could be worked out
with the sheriff's department, the sheriff's tactical north could
also be used by Lodi police for local tactical purposes. The county
will be installing all of the necessary equipment in the Lodi Police
Department to operate this tactical north frequencyl in effect, a
second frequency, with a top quality mobile relay -type base station,
could be obtained at near -zero cost, as the only cost would be the
addition of this frequency to the new Lodi mobile and handheld
radios.
One of the first results of the police radio system conversion
to OHF would be that some highband mobile and handheld radios would
PAGE 6
become available. These could be converted to fire use quite
inexpensively. A conversion to the fire frequency would cost about
$120 per unit,, and the transfer of the police radios (some of them
are quite new) would release good quality equipment f or installation
in fire units. In addition, a number of handheld radios would be
available to the fire department fox their user this would alleviate
some of the fundamental needs discovered in the fire radio system.
The TCI staff wishes to urge that the police system be converted
to UHF. Much of the police radio equipment is quite oldj even though
improvements can be made and upgrading of equipment can be
accomplished, without really major expenditures, the system it will
continue to give problems. The kind of budget that will be required
to repeatedly upgrade the present police radio system cannot be
cost-effective.
A TCI suggestion to the city management is if the police
operations are converted to UHF and DHF equipment is to be purchased,
this should be coordinated with San Joaquin County. San Joaquin
County's procurement of radio equipment for the sheriff's department,
local government, dispatch center, jail system, and the like will be
extensive, and if Lodi could collaborate in this County procurement,
the city's discount on the equipment should be much better than would
be available with an independent procurement; the competitive
interest in a large procurement is always greater than in a small
procurement. Some discounting should be expected on a competitive
bid for a new radio system, and this discounting should run between
twelve and 25 percent. An additional ten percent might be saved if
Lodi were to procure the equipment as part of the County's system
purchase.
JOINT DISPATCH CENTER
The next subject concerns the establishment of a joint dispatch
center for Police and Fire. Police and Fire now operate dispatch
centers that are only a short distance apart and within the same
PAGE 7
building= the question of -combining these is natural. The TCI staff
studied both operations and looked at the requirements and the
economies. The fundamental conclusion is that a consolidated police
and fire dispatch center does not offer any particular advantage to
the city. However, some cooperative efforts would enhance the
operation of both.
Staffing is one of the economic considerations. The Fire
Department does not have any full-time dispatch staff i during normal
working hours, the fire department secretary handles the dispatch
console and the telephones. When a fire call comes in, the secretary
takes the infomatio3n, dispatches the equipment, maintains the status,
and keeps in contact with the field units. After hours, the fire
telephone is answered by a fireman in the fire station, who takes the
information and determines the response; the fire department, in
essence, self -dispatches. However, to provide after -hour coverage of
phones and radio, one fireman must remain behind in the station at
all times. The police dispatch center could provide a valuable
service to the citizens of Lodi by assuming responsibiliy f or
handling subsequent after -hour fire calls, assisting with fire radio
operations, or providing necessary contact during those times when
the firemen are out of the station. In this way, the full fire force
could be available on the fire scene, just as they are during working
hours when the secretary is on duty.
After 911 telephone service has been established, all emergency
calls will terminate in the fire department. When a fire call is
received, the first action will be to transfer it to the fire
telephone. This telephone would be handled either by the
departmental secretary or (after hours) by a fireman. If a second
call comes in and no one in the fire department can answer it, the
police complaint -taker could obtain the necessary information and
either communicate this to the fire forces or take any necessary
mutual -aid steps.
PAGE
Selective transfer is one feature that will be obtained with
911. The city needs to include a fire -transfer button needs in its
911 telephone equipment order; this would be used to transf.%r any
fire calls that have come in to fire dispatch to the secondary 911
fire line. This button would be located at fire dispatch, and could
be located in the key fire station where the after-hours answering
will be done; it could also be duplicated in the police department so
that any unanswered fire call could be picked up.
DISPATCH CENTER CONSOLE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT
The next subject concerns total replacement of dispatch center
console equipment. The console equipment was obsolete a number of
years ago, when the company manufacturing it went out of business and
spare parts became unavailable. The patchwork corrections require
increasing amounts of attention. In addition, the consoles lack many
features now available with modern dispatch equipment. For this
reason, the TCI staff strongly urges that the city replace the
dispatch console equipment. A two -position console should be
obtained for the police department and a one -position console for the
fire department. A brief list of features and estimated costs has
been prepared. A two -position console for police should cost about
826,000 and a single console for fire about =15,000. These prices,
which fall somewhere between the retail list prices and the maximum
discounts that might be expected under a highly favorable competitive
bidding situation, are felt to be realistic. The fire logging
recorder is a very old device and should be discarded. The police
logging recorder is in reasonably good condition and should last for
several more years; it has sufficient cY'znels to log all of the
police radio and telephone calls, as well as fire radio and telephone
traffic. TCI recommends that instant -replay recorders be added to
each of the three positions and that this equipment assume some of
the present police logging recorder load.
Combined poiice and fire dispatching would require additional
space in the police dispatch area, and the building layout cannot
PAGE 9
P
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accommodate the necessary expansion of the police dispatch center.
However, maintaining independent police and fire dispatch will
alleviate the necessity of expanding the police dispatch room.
Adopting TCI 9 s recommendations would give the Lodi a fine
public -safety radio system, one which would have much greater
capability than now exists and which should provide trouble-free
operation for the next ten years. Without the recommended neer
equipment# public -safety communications will be in a precarious and
inferior position, and the cost over the next few years for this
service will still be expensive.
TCI has enjoyed working with the city staff. Lodi is a very
interesting and delightful city, an -d TCI has appreciated the
progressive and profesional attitudes that have been encountered.
PAGE 10