The Plymouth City Commission approved the $12,543.52 purchase of six new portable police radios on Tuesday.
The new radios will replace the former handheld radios bought in 1999 that are quickly becoming obsolete. The Plymouth City Commission had budgeted $10,000 in its Capital Improvement Budget to help cover the costs, while the rest is funded from the police department's OWI-Forfeiture Fund, money generated from the sales of vehicles taken from drunk drivers.
According to City Manager Paul Sincock, the funds generated from drunk drivers' vehicles are regulated for police expenses, and the new radios are eligible with this money.
The purchase includes six Kenwood-brand portable radios.
Director of Public Safety Al Cox said the existing radios also will remain in use until they are no longer functional. The radios have been replaced in phases since 2011. Cox said the existing radios, when purchased in 1999, had a 10-year life expectancy and have operated beyond expectations with minimal problems. The existing radios, however, had been placed on the "No Service List" by their manufacturer, Motorola, meaning replacement parts for repairs no longer being made.
