Cedar Rapids police planning multi-million dollar radio system upgrade

CEDAR RAPIDS – The Cedar Rapids Police Department is preparing to build a new multimillion-dollar radio system in concert with the Linn County Sheriff's Office and Marion police , Police Chief Greg Graham told a City Council committee on Monday.

Graham says the joint system – if all three entities, in fact, do come up with funds to participate in the project – will allow public safety departments from all three jurisdictions to operate on the same radio system and share computer data on the system as well.

The joint effort stops short of something long discussed in Cedar Rapids, Marion and Linn County: That is, a true joint communications system with dispatchers for all three entities operating under one roof.

For now, the cities of Cedar Rapids and Marion along with Linn County have joined forces in a study of the joint system, with Cedar Rapids paying 50 percent of the cost, Linn County, 30 percent and Marion, 20 percent.

Graham said the cost to build the infrastructure for the system would be shared in similar fashion, with each jurisdiction responsible for the cost of any additional equipment needed by an individual jurisdiction.

Graham said the Cedar Rapids Police Department's existing radio system must be replaced, and he said the city has sold bonds to help raise funds to build it. The city will build the infrastructure in Cedar Rapids even if Linn County and/or Marion decide not to participate initially with the thought that one or both will join the system in the next few years, he said.

Graham put the cost of the radio system at between $10 million and $20 million. The system likely will include a new radio tower placed in the city's Shaver Park, he said.