Communication system comes together

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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For years, Cedar Rapids and Linn County officials considered creating one law enforcement dispatch center for all the public safety agencies in the county. This newspaper's editorial board supported the idea - if it would improve communication, provide better public safety response and operate more efficiently than separate dispatch centers.

Then a 2007 consultant's study recommended against it, largely because Marion refused to participate in the research. The idea stalled.

Now, however, it appears that the incomplete report may well have been for the best. A different plan that addresses public safety and efficiency, as well as a federal mandate, is moving ahead.

Last week, Cedar Rapids Police Chief Greg Graham, Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty and Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner hailed a new countywide radio system. For the first time, all public safety agencies, including fire departments, will be able to communicate with each other on the same frequency - instant communication, for example, when backup help is requested.

The system is expected to be operating in about 18 months, Gardner told us. That also would meet a Jan. 1, 2013, Federal Communications Commission deadline to “narrowband” public two-way radio systems to free up bandwidth for the nation's explosion of wireless devices.

“With the FCC mandate, we had to move forward,” Gardner said. Otherwise, the county alone would have needed to spend at least $10 million to upgrade its own radio system. Every other agency in the county also would have faced major conversion costs.

Instead, the countywide plan will cost a total of $18.3 million for the tower infrastructure and radio equipment. Cedar Rapids has been setting aside money to help replace its aging, outdated radio system, Gardner said. The county must bond for its share and Marion likely will, too.

Public safety officials in this county and many others had hoped legislators would OK an increase in the state's cellphone surcharge to help local governments pay for the FCC mandate. They haven't. Thus, “we couldn't wait any longer,” Gardner said.

Gardner says the new system “certainly won't increase” and likely will save on operating costs. He also remains convinced it's better to maintain separate dispatch offices in case one or more is lost during a disaster - such as the 2008 flood when the Cedar Rapids and county systems were knocked out but Marion's could be accessed.

Linn's system also will be seamless with Johnson County, which built a $20.5 million joint communications center last year. Good for the busy Corridor. And it will be important to see which system - Linn's or Johnson's - operates most efficiently.

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