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Northborough police and fire warn of failing radio network; consultant recommends phased UHF upgrade and new consoles
Summary
Police and fire officials showed body‑cam audio and dispatch clips demonstrating frequent static and lost radio links. Consultant Mark Caddy told the select board the town’s VHF infrastructure is past its useful life and recommended stepping to a multi‑site UHF system, new consoles and multiband radios; phased purchases and grant funding were discussed.
Police Chief Brian Griffin told the Select Board on June 8 that radio communications — "our lifelines to our dispatchers and our fellow officers" — are failing intermittently across Northborough and that those failures risk responder safety and delayed emergency response.
Griffin played recorded body‑camera audio and dispatcher clips to show how officers on-scene sometimes could not be heard clearly by dispatchers. The department presented three recent examples, including an incident near Route 9/20 where an injured man bled heavily and officers had difficulty relaying information to dispatch. Records supervisor Amy Bullard and the chief described recurring static and sections of total radio silence inside some buildings and certain road corridors.
The town used ARPA funds to hire communications consultant Mark Caddy, who presented a feasibility assessment. Caddy said the town’s VHF‑band infrastructure is two generations beyond its expected life and increasingly vulnerable to interference from modern wireless traffic. He recommended a multi‑site approach on UHF (or regional 800 MHz P25) with GPS‑synchronized simulcast transmitters, new server‑based dispatch consoles with a hot‑standby server at the new fire station, and multiband portable radios so responders can interoperate with mutual‑aid partners. Caddy emphasized preventive maintenance and staged procurement, noting that civil/site work (towers, fiber, generators) is the costliest part of a new network.
Board members asked about financing and grants. Caddy identified potential funding streams — state regional 911 grants, federal programs (AFG/JAG/BJA) and municipal bonding — and recommended a tiered plan: (1) buy forward‑compatible portable radios and consoles that will work on the existing system now, (2) build new sites and backhaul (microwave or fiber) and (3) migrate fully to UHF or P25 as interoperable partners converge. He cautioned that vendor pricing and labor availability are tight; delaying major civil work can materially raise the project’s cost.
The board requested a phased scope and cost worksheet, including ROM (rough order‑of‑magnitude) estimates, options to leverage nearby cell‑tower or school‑owned fiber assets, and a prioritized list of immediate purchases the town could make to improve safety quickly (new consoles and replacement portables with warranties).
Next steps: staff will provide a phased procurement plan, ROM estimates and grant options for board review; the board and departments also discussed working with mutual‑aid partners on regional interoperability planning.
