No Risk Seen in Radio Glitches

The problems Los Angeles police officers are experiencing with a new, multimillion-dollar radio system are not creating a threat to public safety, department officials said Tuesday.

Dozens of patrolmen and women have complained about the department’s new digital radios, which have been installed in the LAPD’s roughly 5,000 patrol cars since June. Officers have said that they could not hear or understand those in other patrol cars at times and that communication between department helicopters and patrol cars was often poor.

Officers have resorted to using cellular phones and other means of communication.

“We are having to work around this one,” said Capt. Mike Hillman, who oversees the department’s fleet of helicopters.

Officers have had to come up with “intermediate solutions,” including patching two radios together and then plugging them into the helicopter’s console to improve their chances of exchanging information with colleagues on the ground, Hillman said.

“It is cumbersome,” he said. “In terms of immediate concerns, I would be remiss if I didn’t say there were problems. But will it change? Yes.”

The conversion from the older analog to digital radio systems, part of a massive, $51-million communications upgrade, has become a significant concern to patrol officers and department and union officials as glitches have been reported during the last several months.

But department officials also say they expect fewer problems after officers receive more training in how to use the new system.

Motorola, the company contracted by the city to provide the radios, has said it is confident that its equipment is reliable.

City Controller Laura Chick said Tuesday that she plans to closely monitor the LAPD’s oversight of its contract, noting that she is not pleased with the department’s handling of the matter.

Chick, who threatened Monday to withhold an $18,000 payment to Motorola, said that the bill likely would be paid but that she was waiting to find out more information from the department.