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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBozeman Police Protective Assoc letter to Commission fµOTEcr� BOZEMAN POLICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION 582-2000 615 S. 16TH AVE. BOZEMAN, MONTANA 59715 Mayor Jeff Krauss City of Bozeman Commission 121 North Rouse Bozeman,MT 59715 July 3, 2014 RE: Vote of No Confidence in Police Radio System The limitations of the police radio system currently utilized by the City of Bozeman Police Department (BPD) creates a recognized hazard that has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, serious physical harm to BPD Officers. In response to the hazard caused by the police radio system, on June 26, 2014, members of the Bozeman Police Protection Association (BPPA) issued a vote of no confidence in the police radio system because it has created a hazard by routinely failing to provide BPD Officers reliable and consistent communications. Montana Code Annotated 50-71-116 requires the City of Bozeman to furnish a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to public sector employees; adopt and use practices, means, methods, operations and processes that are adequate to render the workplace safe; and take appropriate actions necessary to protect life, health, and safety of public sector employees. The Bozeman Police Protection Association (BPPA) is comprised of Patrol Officers, Detectives, and Sergeants with the BPD, all of whom use and rely on the police radio system to protect and serve the community and ensure their own safety. The police radio system, provided by the City of Bozeman through Gallatin County 911, is intended to provide the BPD with general police radio capabilities, non-emergent call taking and 911 services. The police radio system is maintained and operated by Gallatin County 911. BPD Officers rely on the police radio system to maintain communication when they are dispatched to crimes in progress, for routine calls for service, and as their direct communication link to dispatch and other public safety agencies. The police radios provided to BPD Officers, on their person and installed in city vehicles, are of no value if the Officers are unable to use them to communicate reliably and consistently. Gallatin County 911 briefly implemented a digital radio system, although it was reverted to the current analog radio system because of radio transmission and reception problems. The profession of law enforcement is inherently dangerous and often unpredictable. As such, BPD Officers must have access to a police radio system that provides reliable and consistent service in all conditions and locations where law enforcement services are required. However, BPD Officers frequently experience police radio failures that occur without warning at critical times. Radio failures have included dispatchers unable to receive BPD Officer's radio transmissions for emergency help, delayed BPD Officer request's for emergency medical services for citizens, and the inability to send and receive notification of serious safety advisories when dealing with dangerous subjects or incidents. BPD Officers are routinely unable to transmit and receive clear and concise radio transmissions inside most commercial and residential buildings (including the Law and justice Center). The inability to transmit and receive extends to transmissions made outdoors,without any obvious obstructions. The police radio system has placed BPD Officers and the citizens of Bozeman in an unnecessary and dangerous position because the constant flow of information is critical to the safe resolution of all law enforcement situations. Response times to citizen's emergency calls have been delayed because the police radio system has failed to allow BPD Officers to keep in consistent contact with fellow responding units, dispatchers, victims, witnesses, and other emergency responders. The police radio system failures have and continue to place officers and City of Bozeman citizens at serious risk of injury. BPPA members have voiced their concerns appropriately to police department administration, the dispatch liaison group and the labor management group regarding the radio system problems and associated safety concerns. Gallatin County Commissioners recently approved approximately $170,000 to hire a radio- engineering firm to study the radio system utilized by Gallatin County 911. At a recent meeting held by Gallatin County 911 director Kerry O'Connell, ADCOMM Engineering Company of Bothell, Washington, was introduced as the company handling the radio system study. Joe Blaschka, of ADCOMM, attended the meeting and provided information on ways ADCOMM will evaluate the radio system. Blaschka stated radio interference is the likely culprit to the BPD's current radio system problems, one that will require extensive and costly engineering to improve. ADCOMM will also determine the best location for new radio sites as indicated by data collected during their survey. This is opposed to placing radio systems at sites of convenience as has been done in the past by Gallatin County 911. Blaschka recalled working on the Gallatin County 911 radio system approximately 15 years ago because of problematic radio sites, including the Kenyon Water Tower that is still in use today. Lastly, Blaschka estimated the radio study would not be completed until the early fall and the potential cost to fix the current radio system to be $5,000,000 to $6,000,000. Montana Law requires the City of Bozeman to furnish BPD Officers with a reliable and consistent police radio system that eliminates workplace hazards. BPD Officers will continue to remain vigilant and steadfast while protecting the citizens of Bozeman and Gallatin County. We fully expect ADCOMM to complete a timeline and comprehensive radio system engineering review, including recommendations to remediate any radio system problems in the near future. BPPA members expect the city and county to allocate the necessary funds to bring the radio system in compliance with Montana law and to render the workplace safe in order to protect life, health, and safety of BPD Officers. I Josep wanson, President Boze an Police Protective Association l Anthony Hutchings,Vice President Bozeman Police Protective Association Z�6-- Matt S1406n, Secretary/Treasurer Bozeman Police Protective Association