I commend the city in approving this new communications antenna, serving both the police and public works department. Frankly, it is a sign of the times, as similar antennas have also been installed in neighboring cities. The most recent example of that may be the new 100' antenna installed at Fire Station #2 on University Avenue in East Palo Alto.

This is a great precedent for when the Fire District needs to replace its antenna at Station 1.

Thank you Menlo Park.

I'm all in for improving public safety radio communications, but the reasoning doesn't make a lot a sense. Menlo Park Police are currently using 488.3375 MHz as their primary radio channel along with similar frequencies for county wide and tactical communications provided by San Mateo County.

According to the FCC, all public safety agencies need to vacate these frequencies (see: Web Link in the next few years. This radio spectrum will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Palo Alto and Mountain View, for example, are leaving their radio channels for the Silicon Valley Regional Communications Systems which utilizes 700 MHz on the new simulcast county wide trunked radio system.

San Mateo County already has a simulcast 700 MHz digital radio system that provides coverage in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. The feds aren't providing funding for standalone radio systems after 9/11, and San Mateo County's radio system has plenty of capacity.

Why build infrastructure that's going to duplicate what San Mateo County has already built and paid for?

Except the county radio was full of dead spots and is a Motorola trunked system. Redwood City went back to their old system. Bill you have posted so tell the whole story Tell me if I'm wrong? And the fed standards are a mess. No matter what a tower was needed and reception is poor

If the taxpayers really want to save money they could push for County wide consolidation of police, fire, ambulance and all other emergency services with ONE dispatch center and one consolidated communications system.

@Peter C - agree. Have for years. The issue has been and is the different cities want a different touch. Although SM SO has done a good job, if they model after the East Bay this would resolve it. Look at Orinda, Lafayette and many others. The "win" in this is not that they are served by the Sheriff's office, it is they have their own cars, own uniforms, own web site, etc., yet they save money by operating under the SO. when detectives are needed, that is Cost based and from the SO. It also allows the officers / Deputies to serve in various place and learn various disciplines.

Roberto - Can you give us more info on the Orinda et al arrangement and what services are inluded etc.

Thanks

@ Peter, sure - their web pages sum it up and they have been very successful and well recived. I believe the tour of duty is 4 years before the officer goes back to a different division in the SO. Here are the cities: Lafayette, Oakley, Danville, Orinda, San Ramon. The key is each city looks and acts like a city (cars, uniforms, etc.) Although SMCO does for several cities, it is still Sheriff Office. This was/is a way to keep the city unique and small town flavor.
Orinda as an example:
Web Link