New Police Radio System in New York State Draws Scrutiny

NEW POLICE RADIO SYSTEM IN NEW YORK STATE DRAWS SCRUTINY
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: John Sullivan and Al Baker]
A $2 billion emergency radio network intended to connect all emergency agencies and local police and fire departments in New York State has failed its first major test, prompting concerns from some state officials and causing the state’s second largest city, Buffalo, to opt out of the system. The contract to build a network of wireless transmission towers that would allow tens of thousands of police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel statewide to communicate was awarded in 2005 to M/A-Com, a division of Tyco International. The system was supposed to be in operation in Buffalo and surrounding Erie County and neighboring Chatauqua County by last June. After the network’s rollout in Buffalo, however, the city’s top fire official said its problems were so severe that the radios did not work in roughly half the city.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/nyregion/18radio.html?ref=todayspaper
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