Bay police upgrading radios to digital

Whitefish Bay - The Police Department will buy seven mobile radios used in squad cars and six portable hand-held radios used by officers as it begins its switch to digital radios rather than the analog models now in use.

The department will complete the change over in 2013 with the purchases of additional units, spending an estimated $100,800 in total or $50,400 each year.

Milwaukee County law enforcement agencies use an 800 MHz system that will be switched from analog to digital capabilities sometime soon.

The Bayside Dispatch Center, which Whitefish Bay will join later this year, has digital capabilities and is ready to switch to digital when the county gives the go-ahead. The center now serves Brown Deer, Fox Point, River Hills and its own police department, all of whom have made the switch to digital radios.

Police Chief Robert Jacobs said the analog radios will be used until the new radios are purchased. He sees no difficulties from continued use of the analog radios into 2013.

"The only possible drawback is if Motorola (the vendor) increases the price (in 2013)," he said.

Motorola no longer provides support for the analog radios, meaning they cannot be repaired.