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County says radio/console upgrade will improve officer interoperability with state system
Summary
Des Moines County staff described a multiagency radio and console upgrade to connect to the Iowa State Interoperability Communication System (SISICS), promising near‑uninterrupted coverage but noting implementation challenges and training needs.
Des Moines County officials updated supervisors on a planned radio and console upgrade that will link the county’s DESCOM dispatch center to the Iowa State Interoperability Communication System (SISICS), improving direct communications with state patrol and other agencies.
County staff said the current DESCOM consoles are about 13–15 years old and cannot operate on the 700/800 megahertz frequencies used by SISICS. The project replaces consoles and radios and includes new software for record management and computer‑aided dispatch. Staff said the change will improve portable and in‑vehicle coverage across the county — from roughly 70% previously to an expected roughly 99.9% in buildings and challenging terrain — but warned of testing, engineering work and training ahead.
Why it matters: Connecting to SISICS would let county deputies and state officers communicate directly on stops and incidents without cumbersome patching, increasing officer safety and interagency coordination. The project is multiagency and will require testing and coordination with other jurisdictions.
Meeting details
County staff told the board the console upgrade was funded by EMA (Emergency Management Agency) through DESCOM; the radio replacements and frequency changes require extensive testing. The county’s existing record‑management and CAD software will be integrated with the new consoles. Staff cautioned that the project will include hurdles and training on new software and hardware and that the final rollout could take weeks of testing.
Ending: Officials asked for patience as they finalize testing and training, noting the expected safety and coverage improvements once the system is in service.
