Lompoc breaks ground on new public safety radio system

LOMPOC, Calif. - Lompoc's radio system is getting an upgrade.

The city broke ground Thursday morning to begin upgrading and improving its public safety communication equipment, just days before mayor Jenelle Osborne leaves office.

“As I was elected mayor, from my public safety department, what I was hearing was our radios are over 35 years old,” says Mayor Osborne.

“They're an analog radio. They're completely scannable. One of the challenges we have now when we have a SWAT operation is we have to operate on our main frequency, which puts the patrol on to a lesser frequency,” says Kevin Martin, Lompoc’s police chief.

Radios used by police, fire, EMS, Parks & Rec, county sheriffs and Vandenberg space force base, are going from analog to digital - with a fully encrypted network.

“Now with this new this new technology, SWAT will have a completely separate tactical frequency so that we won't interfere with the daily operations,” says chief Martin.

This project will cost over $4 million and has taken over three budget cycles to get to this point.

“I am very relieved and excited that this is one of my final acts to ribbon cut, ground break for the new radio system and the antennas,” says Mayor Osborne.

15 new radio systems are going in Lompoc schools, giving them a direct line to first responders.

“Thanks to the city staff to help make this a reality and to the City council for supporting us in the way in which they did. This is a big heavy lift financially and we don't take that lightly in the police department. We're very grateful for it,” says chief Martin.

Final upgrades will be completed this summer.