North Bay police have begun testing and training on its new radio system, which is replacing the former communications infrastructure and hardware. Last year, police chief Daryl Longworth said the current system was at the end of its life and that police had to “scramble” to replace the technology. Since then, officials have been working to upgrade the police service’s entire radio communications infrastructure. The first phase was completed in 2025, which Longworth said was “needed in order to move to the next level.” “Managing the budget is always an ongoing affair because there are things that we can’t predict, that we can’t budget for, but we try to do our best when those unforeseen things come up,” he said. The new radios and digital repeater system will improve in-building coverage in several locations where radio connection “has been poor or actually failed.” “We have to plan for the future as far as budgeting for end of life for this system,” Longworth said. “So, it’s just an ongoing affair to keep up with technology and what’s changing and what’s coming down the pipe to make sure we’re being fiscally responsible, but also making sure we’re providing the best service to our community.” The new radio system will operate on a 700 MHz frequency designed to prevent “communication bottlenecks” during emergency or crisis situations. Also, the new in-vehicle repeaters will ensure increased radio coverage, regardless of location. The new system will use what’s called the ‘Smart Locate’ feature. If an officer activates the emergency button or calls for assistance, the system uses GPS to find the officer’s location. That information is then transmitted to dispatchers and responding officers, enabling a faster, more coordinated response. Adds to safety, improves comms “It adds to officer safety. It adds to better communications internally ... So, we haven’t got the full capabilities on those yet,” police board chair Rich Stivrins said. “There’s still some testing to do on them. But we’re pleased with what we’ve seen so far.” The new portable radios include a crossover feed that can switch between voice communication and the LTE network. As long as cellular coverage is available, dispatchers can maintain contact with officers during long-distance transport, pursuits or other operations. Police have purchased 18 digital repeaters, including one dedicated for use at the North Bay Courthouse, to address coverage issues in that building. Other items include 75 portable radios, 32 in-car radios and the command central, which provides a GPS mapping view of all portable radios. System installation and hardware purchase is pegged at just more than $1.4 million. “Especially on the capital side, we make our investments very strategically,” Stivrins said. “There are things that we have to do to keep up and be a modern police service.”
