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Richland County sheriff’s office reports successful switch to new radio system; 30‑day test under way
Summary
Sheriff reported that his office went live on a new county radio system and began a 30‑day burn/test period after DAQ testing at roughly 72 county sites; deputies reported improved in‑field reception and dispatch expects simplified cross‑agency communications once other agencies are migrated.
The Richland County sheriff (speaker 4) told the Public Safety Standing Committee on Feb. 6 that his office went live on a new county radio system and has started a 30‑day operational test period intended to confirm coverage and functionality before other agencies are migrated.
Lede: the sheriff said deputies reported clearer in‑field radio reception during early operations and that dispatch testing showed good results at about 72 sites countywide.
Nut graf: the 30‑day burn will allow the county to spot remaining technical issues and ensure recording and interoperability concerns are resolved before bringing police, fire and EMS agencies fully onto the system. The sheriff said the county will wait until equipment reprogramming and continued tests are complete before porting additional agencies onto the new channel.
The sheriff described DAQ testing—mobile checks from inside buildings and vehicles—across dozens of sites, with generally positive results. Deputies who used the handheld units during the initial transition said they were hearing transmissions more clearly. The sheriff said some back‑end configuration work remains, including confirming recorder capture on the new channel and completing interoperability checks.
Dispatch (speaker 2) said the transition has so far simplified some operational complexity, reducing the need to switch towers or channels when coordinating with fire and EMS once all agencies are on the system. The sheriff noted some agencies in the region have started reprogramming pagers and radios in anticipation of migration.
The committee did not take action beyond receiving the update. The sheriff said the county intends to complete the 30‑day burn before inviting other agencies to cut over to the system.
