Credit: PA Internet News Service
Pennsylvania’s former public safety radio system was not only costly, but a hindrance for troopers who often turned to their own cellphones to communicate, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in announcing audit results on the purchasing process for a new radio system.
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State officials decided to move to the P-25 public safety radio system after cost and performance problems with the former system, Open Sky. During a news conference Thursday, DePasquale said an audit of the purchase of the new system shows it is on budget.
Open Sky was estimated to cost about $179 million, but the actual costs were about $850 million over the last 20 years, according to the audit.
“The largest of the contracts for that system was awarded to Amp Inc. and was later taken over by Harris,” DePasquale said. “The Office of Inspector General is currently looking deeper into the original contract for the system, and it is my understanding and the understanding of our department that the investigation is ongoing.”
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Despite the high costs, the system was unreliable for public safety personnel.
“Its technical failures hampered numerous investigations, including the manhunt for convicted killer Eric Frein,” DePasquale said. Frein was convicted of the 2014 attack on the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Blooming Grove that killed one trooper and wounded another.
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The new system is already being used by troopers in 45 counties. Twenty-two state police departments, the Legislature, federal, county, and municipal government agencies as well as public transit and utility companies will have access to the system by the summer of 2021.
A few issues have been encountered during the implementation of the radio system but so far all of them all have been fixed, said Capt. Sean Georgia, acting director of the radio and information services division for the Pennsylvania State Police.
“My team found that the State Police and Office of Administration followed all applicable procedures in the latest radio system upgrade, which had a price tag of $44.5 million,” DePasquale said. “Importantly, the new system will use some of the existing infrastructure such as towers and microwave relays, so taxpayers did not have to buy those items all over again.”
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Ten recommendations were made in the 74-page audit report. The State Police and the Office of Administration agreed to the recommendations. One recommended better documentation of the final operational tests for the new system, according to a statement from DePasquale.
“Given the history of problems involving the old system, I believe State Police should go above and beyond to document that the new system is working as designed,” DePasquale added. “Our emergency responders and the residents they protect deserve nothing less.”
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