MISSION VIEJO : City to Help Upgrade Police Radio System
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The City Council has agreed to pay the city’s share of a project that will upgrade the police radio dispatch system in South County, put more deputies on the street and continue a successful anti-graffiti law enforcement program.
Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Randy Blair said the current system slows down the number of calls for deputies; the new equipment will mean quicker response times. Having more air time will also allow the city to put more police on the street, city officials said.
Council members strongly back spending $113,000 for the first year of what will be a three-year upgrade project. The next two years, expenses are expected to be about $61,000 annually.
“You can throw all kinds of bodies at a problem, but if you don’t have the equipment to man, the situation won’t be solved,” said Councilman Joseph D. Lowe, who is a captain in the Orange County Fire Department.
Overall, the project will cost about $281,000 in the first year, which will include the hiring of 10 dispatchers to cover the South County area. The Sheriff’s Department has contracts to provide police service in all of South County with the exception of Laguna Beach.
The council also agreed to spend $200,000 to hire more deputies and continue a successful anti-graffiti program.
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