Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County discusses creating grant to help towns buy encrypted radios; Winchester requests county help
Summary
Winchester police presented a proposal and cost estimates for updated radios and reprogramming/encryption; commissioners directed staff to develop grant options and prorating methods and to return with numbers in two weeks.
Winchester Deputy Chief Brandon Barduller told commissioners he surveyed local law-enforcement agencies about radio upgrades and encryption and reported Winchester and Modoc still need radios, while other agencies have already upgraded at their own expense. Barduller said the quoted per‑radio cost in his paperwork was about $2,359.28 and that Winchester was requesting half of a $33,029.92 total (roughly $16,000) as county assistance; he also noted there will be a per‑radio reprogramming fee to enable encryption.
Commissioners discussed options for distributing county funding equitably — for example, prorating grant awards by community population or agency need — and asked Barduller to collect updated total-cost numbers. The board agreed to revisit the proposal in two weeks after staff provides detailed cost estimates and a recommended allocation method.
Why it matters: Encrypted radio communications protect operational security for first responders; smaller municipal agencies may lack capital to purchase full radio inventories without assistance.
Next steps: Barduller will compile up-to-date quotes and reprogramming costs; county staff will draft grant parameters and an equitable allocation formula for the commissioners to consider at the next meeting.
