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Council authorizes $12,850 upgrade for police radio encryption software
Summary
The council approved a sole-source budget amendment to purchase a proprietary software flash update from TBS Electronics for police handheld radios to access county encrypted law‑enforcement channels; staff plans a later budget amendment to fund the expense in the general fund.
The Tonganoxie City Council on July 6 approved a budget amendment authorizing an unplanned $12,850.25 purchase to update police handheld radios so they can communicate on county encrypted law-enforcement channels.
Staff (identified in the agenda as Mister Porter) told the council that the radios' hardware supports encryption but requires a proprietary "flash" software update from the city's Motorola vendor, TBS Electronics, and that the update is needed to retain interoperability with Leavenworth County dispatch and other law-enforcement agencies. Porter said the purchase is proposed as a sole-source procurement because the update is proprietary and compatible only with the city's existing equipment.
Miss Grube moved to authorize a 2026 budget amendment to permit the police department to buy the encryption software using the city's general fund; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. Porter said staff will later bring a specific budget amendment to formally appropriate the funds in the general-fund police budget.
The council recorded the vendor quote amount ($12,850.25) and noted the expense was not in the adopted 2026 budget. Council members asked no substantive technical questions on the record that evening; Chief Lawson was present in name but did not speak during the item.
Next steps: Staff intends to file a budget amendment later in the year to appropriate the funds in the general fund police department budget and proceed with the vendor to complete the flash update.
