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Radio‑system rollout delayed into 2026 after testing and coverage issues; county to hold monthly stakeholder meetings
Summary
The county’s multi‑agency radio replacement project has moved to a 2026 completion timeline after Motorola could not complete required testing before foliage‑related coverage assessments; departments identified unanticipated specification shortfalls including a dispatch single‑point‑of‑failure that was later addressed at no cost.
Smyth County's public safety committee updated supervisors on the countywide radio replacement project, which covers law enforcement, fire, EMS and school systems.
Department staff said implementation is now scheduled for 2026 because Motorola was unable to finish required testing before foliage impacts could be assessed. During recent reviews staff identified several items not included in the original proposal and a single point of failure at dispatch; staff said that the dispatch vulnerability was formally addressed and corrected at no additional cost to the county and that interoperability improvements were added for Washington County.
Committee members and supervisors discussed cost‑sharing across participating agencies, tracking call volumes to allocate proportional costs, and the need for clear communication about installations that cannot proceed because of capability issues. The committee agreed to set up monthly stakeholder meetings (including law enforcement, fire and EMS) to provide updates and reduce misinformation while the county tracks the contractor’s progress toward the contract completion date (currently August 2026 under the contract terms). No formal board action was taken; the update was informational.
