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The City of Ripon is looking to replace the outdated technology necessary to provide dispatch services from the Ripon Police Department.
On Tuesday, the Ripon City Council will look to approve and authorize the purchase of radio tower equipment for the Channel 1 update.
This item and more will be part of the agenda for the 6 p.m. monthly session inside the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave.
The Ripon Communications Center, along with Ripon police, handles dispatch services for both the Escalon Police Department and the Lathrop Police Department.
While Ripon and Escalon shared Channel 1 for radio communications – the outdated T-1 point-to-point link – Lathrop was monitored on a separate channel.
“Based on this set up, the Ripon Communications Center was monitoring two radio channels,” the staff report.
To further complicate matters, the T-1 connection between Ripon and Escalon was permanently disconnected by the provider, TPx Communications, which was moving away from the outdated technologies. Ripon police, unaware of that until two weeks prior to the disconnection, still needed to provide 911 emergency services, with no possibility of an extension from TPx Communications.
La Rue Communications stepped in to provide an additional channel in the Ripon Communication Center – Ripon, Escalon, and Lathrop communications were now on separate channels.
In September, La Rue Communications installed a converting analog to digital device, with hopes that Ripon and Escalon could go back to sharing Channel 1.
That device, local police noted, proved to be unreliable, randomly shutting down at various times while causing public safety issue due to not being able to communicate with Escalon.
La Rue Communications recommended the replacement / upgrade of equipment for the Ripon Communications Center’s radio Channel 1, with the cost not to exceed $119,304 – paid via the General Department Capital Fund.
The Escalon Police Department, in addition, will reimburse the City of Ripon for 50 percent of the cost ($7,531) for the Zetron hardware and software coupled with the cost of labor for the installation.
