Finalize The Countywide Public Safety Radio Services
As made awfully aware by the Parkland and Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport shootings, BSO and other law enforcement agencies cannot talk to each other by radio in a crisis. During these terrible events when timely response was critical, BSO deputies and police officers ineffectively used cell phones to try to communicate and respond. It was chaos.
There is currently no countywide communications service that has the capacity to connect all Broward law enforcement and fire-rescue departments, as well as outside law enforcement agencies simultaneously, nor provide extended coverage into the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean.
Towers are now under construction to repeat signals across the county, and a modern and reliable radio system is being installed, but we still have a way to go to make it fully operational. This will require testing and training, interconnections with emergency management services and other departments to ensure that it operates seamlessly and provides the communications services that we so desperately need.
As your sheriff, I will ensure that the countywide public safety radio service is completed on time, on budget and operates effectively. We will not respond blind and confused to future disasters and incidents.
