The handheld radios used by University Police Department officers to communicate cross-campus have been dysfunctional to the point of uselessness for at least a year, six officers told The Hatchet this week – a claim their top leader denies.
The officers said the devices, used to alert dispatchers and supervisors or call for backup, are so choppy that attempts to communicate with the rest of the unit often fail, potentially raising the level of risk on campus during times when officers have only seconds to notify others of a crime or suspect.
“It has severely affected campus safety, because if a serious incident happens, depending on where you are, you cannot advise other officers or the dispatcher,” one officer said, speaking on the condition of anonymity as UPD officers are not authorized to speak to the media.
The radios’ spotty performance showed last week, the officers said, when a freshman tried to escape from a Thurston Hall drug bust, punching a UPD officer in the face along the way. Three officers attempted to use their radios throughout the chase to reach UPD’s dispatcher and request backup, but each effort fell flat, one officer who was at the scene said. Officers later learned that just two to four words from the messages were intelligible by the other end.
“The only reason they knew something was wrong was because of the voice tone they heard. They heard the voice tone and location, nothing else,” the officer said. “If the suspect would have continued to fight, flee or resist arrest, the two responding officers could have been seriously injured with no way of alerting anyone.”
UPD Chief Kevin Hay maintained Tuesday that the handheld radios are in working condition, and many of the department’s 48 devices have never been reported as malfunctioning.
He declined to say specifically how many have been reported as malfunctioning.
“A few will degrade over time, but are usually repairable,” Hay said, adding that it is impossible for police departments to receive 100-percent radio coverage at all times because service quality is based on an area’s topography, the size of the building where an officer is located and whether or not the individual is underground.
Two officers said they notified supervisors of radio troubles on multiple occasions but saw no improvements. One said “nothing happens” and, though the department maintains that devices or batteries that are out of order will be replaced or fixed, the malfunctioning radios appear in the supply stack again the next day.
UPD’s contractor for communication devices investigates each report of a malfunctioning radio, Hay said.
The technician who services UPD’s radios, Jonathan Padi, said Tuesday that the University has resisted spending money on its current radio supply in anticipation of purchasing new technology after the department shifts out of its Woodhull House headquarters and into the Academic Center. Administrators have said they expect that move to take place this spring or early summer.
“While they’re trying to go to the new system, the situation has just dragged on and on,” Padi, who works for Communications Express, said.
GW purchased its current radios in 2002 and their batteries have been replaced every few years, he said. The average lifespan of a battery is 18 to 24 months. Each battery can only be recharged for a certain time span before it burns out and its charging capacity shrinks, similar to cell phone batteries.
Padi said UPD has not been replacing its radio batteries as often as necessary.
When radio batteries are heavily depleted in a police unit where individuals are constantly patrolling shift after shift, Padi said officers on later patrols face a “disaster” because they are left with a barely charged battery.
“As far as public safety is concerned, this is a very serious issue and we have been working with the officers as best as we can,” Padi said.
The University asked Padi to visit campus Wednesday to inspect the radios, he said.
“It’s primarily concerns with the battery that appears to be the weakest link in their system,” he said, adding that all analog radio systems face some level of static. “The issue is not widespread.”
Padi found one problem area: Ivory Tower. A few buildings have sprung up near Ivory since the radio system was installed, creating interference that hampers coverage inside the residence hall that can be solved either by pouring more money into the current technology or waiting for the overhaul, he said.
He plans to return to campus next week to test every battery and radio.
About 40 percent of the University’s radio batteries are on the older side, while roughly 60 percent are new, he estimated.
“If any radio is broken, we will find out. If any battery is weak, we will know,” Padi said, adding that disgruntled officers may exaggerate the extent of the static out of frustration.
Hay said the bases for new radio technology that will be installed at the Academic Center are a response to new Federal Communications Commission guidelines for law enforcement agencies’ radios – not due to nonworking equipment – and that it makes “little sense” to install the system into the Woodhull House only to uproot it later. The FCC’s guidelines are set to go into effect next January.
“I care deeply about all of my officers and about their ability to communicate with the dispatcher and their fellow responders,” Hay said. “That’s why we maintain a maintenance contract to fix portable radios that have a reported problem. That is why we recently replaced a large number of batteries.”
Forensic criminologist and police practices legal expert Ron Martinelli said adequate communication is critical for public safety operations, and the University would be liable for negligence if an officer responded to a high-risk scene, called for backup and landed a severe injury due to radio failure.
“If you have anything from a disturbance to an active shooter on campus, who are the people that are responding? Your public safety people,” Martinelli said. “Somebody needs to step forward and say, ‘Wait a minute, we’re placing our officers at risk with these 2002 radios.’”
This story is full of journalistic sensationalism and non-facts! As the former UPD Communications Supervisor and a current DC Police Officer, I have some actual knowledge of Public Safety Communications Systems including the UPD Communications Systems.
First, the current hand-held radios were NOT bought in 2002 as this article indicates. They were bought around 2007 or 2008. Next, batteries do not just up and die like the SALESMAN from the communications company which services UPD’s radio system alleges. Of course, he wants the batteries replaced on a regular basis, as opposed to when they actually fail, because that means greater profits for him! Not, that the District of Columbia Government does everything right, but you should be aware that the DC Government has many hand-held and mobile radios in service which are 20 years old and ONLY replaces batteries when they completely fail… which is usually every several years.
And lastly, there is NO SUCH THING as a perfect communications system as the author of this article, the SALESMAN from the communications company and some UPD officers allege exist in fantasy land… there are ALWAYS dead spots, whether they think these only exist at GW or not, they exist throughout DC and everywhere else. Having radio communications breakdown during a foot chase is not as uncommon as one may think… officers yelling into microphones due to adrenaline rushses is a major factor in this as well…
The bottom line is that the UPD Communications Infrastructure, although not perfect is as least as good as the one used by the US Capitol Police (keeping in mind that USCP cover an area that is similar in size to GW)… thus, I contend that it is certainly adequate and perfectly acceptable to continue using said radio system until the new one comes on line sometime later this year.
Sounds like a repeater issue. Install radio antenna repeaters and boosters in the troubled spots.
Yes, there are repeaters and other technologies being used to help in dead zones. The fact is that in a highly urban environment like GW it is cost prohibitive to completely cover every dead zone… if GW wants to relocate to an open field with only one story buildings and no parking garages or basements, then and only then is it doable.
“10-75! Major incident! We got a freshman holding a beer on the corner of 20th and F! Need backup! Hello? Hello? Anyone there? Oh well, he’s gone.”
You are retarded if you think that is what anyone is talking about here.
You are actually a troll, take your comments to another article it has no value here!
Michael:
It was a joke since the reputation of UPD (AKA the No Fun Squad) seems to be busting students for drinking and weed, and responding to noise complaints.
But congratulations on joining the MPD.
“No Fun Squad” This is real life, and all the officers at GWPD are adults with responsibilities to the department and their families. No one comes to work to have fun, and the university does not pay for us to have fun. The university has policies/laws that they expect to be enforced and they are tasked to do that. If you are just concerned about drugs and alcohol I think you should drop out now! Your future has a predetermined path and school is not going to change much.
I wish I could arrest you for being so arrogant. Students pose a grave danger to the community. This is the main reason why I left UPD, for greater restrictive powers.
Well in that case, based on your post, I think the University is better off not to have a power tripping, jack booted thug like you on the force anymore.
Scary to think that they gave you a gun, pepper spray and a Taser, with an MPD badge.
impersonator alert
Just to emphasize… I DID NOT WRITE THE ABOVE POST.
So Wilhelm sense you haven’t been around for quite some time now and you don’t know how bad the radios have gotten recently once the repeater off of UPG was removed I don’t think u have clue enough to say this is all exaggerated. Thurston Hall, the largest dorm on campus is a “dead zone” no reception. Shouldn’t UPD and Emerg have reception where a large number of police and medical calls occur?? I can understand some dead spots here and there, but entire blocks and buildings worth of them? Now enjoy your time at DC protective service and try to lay off the donuts and hit the treadmill a little, everyone who knew you is glad your gone…..this just refreshes our memory!
The main repeater is on the roof of Gelman Library. Ever since I can remember, UPD personnel have been complaining about radio problems. The fact is that there are some expectations that are simply not realistic. EVERYONE experiences dead zones in large buildings… this is not unusual. My problem with this article is with how The Hatchet wrote it and put so much credibility in what the SALESMAN from the communications vendor had to say.
And if you think that the DC Radio Communications Systems doesn’t have dead spots, you can also go to fantasy land. Ever wonder what those little white wing like things are on the top of DCFEMS Chief and Support Vehicles? Yeah, they are mobile repeaters… why? So they can have radio communications inside buildings while fighting fires… why? BECAUSE ALL LARGE BUILDINGS ARE FULL OF DEAD ZONES!
And lastly, what’s up with the personal insults, that have nothing to do with this?
I must say that I agree with Wilhelm in that a contractor will be biased towards whatever gets him paid more. Self interest comes before community interest in this case.
But, with that being said, there is also probably some truth to what Padi is saying. It’s very possible that the radio batteries are not replaced often enough; it seems to me that as one shift passes their radios off to the next shift, batteries won’t be changed unless the need to arises (aka, walkie talkie no workie).
On age of the radios: Alright, so even if they’re only 5 years old…for a university that prides itself on being modern, it should be no problem to more frequently upgrade the technology used to keep its students safe. No?
@Verschnickenmann: UPD does spend a fair amount of its time going after alcohol abuses and violations. Why? Federal law. Don’t complain because UPD is doing their job; perhaps it sucks, but it isn’t their fault that the legal drinking age is 21. Same with marijuana–don’t shoot the messenger.
Having radios with any dysfunction is a problem. What if, in the incident where an officer was assaulted, the kid had a knife, or a gun? As the article mentioned, “If the suspect would have continued to fight, flee or resist arrest, the two responding officers could have been seriously injured with no way of alerting anyone.” If the kid was armed and the officers were down, it seems to me that one of the only ways dispatch/other officers would find out about would be if the injured officers didn’t check in for a while, or if a student called it in.
Outcries have recently risen over GW Alert not getting out fast enough. Great–so now the students are made aware of situations more quickly than they were in the past, even if the alerts still aren’t immediate. Shouldn’t more effort be put into improving the communication between officers? That’s probably just as important as informing the students, if not more so.
I understand if the head of the department wants to wait until the move to Academic Center is over, but how long are we going to have to wait after the move? It sounds like the necessary repeater is going to remain on top of Gelman, so what difference does it make if it changes sooner? With the amount of money charged to the students at this university, I’m amazed that it can’t spend some money to cover at least a few of these problematic dead zones.
“@Verschnickenmann: UPD does spend a fair amount of its time going after alcohol abuses and violations. Why? Federal law. Don’t complain because UPD is doing their job; perhaps it sucks, but it isn’t their fault that the legal drinking age is 21. Same with marijuana–don’t shoot the messenger.”
Sure, lots of things are Federal law- what’s next, UPD making sure that every song on my iPod is “legal” and not downloaded or ripped off a friend’s CD? Are they going to make sure that I don’t engage in insider stock trading? How about making sure my mattress has a tag? I guess I need to hide my recordings of football games that were not made without the “express written consent of the NFL” in case they do an administrative search.
Ivory Tower and the area immediatly around the building, Thurston Hall, Old Main, anywhere east off 17th street, all of Ivory Tower, anywhere near and around HOVA, the ground and basement levels of Marvin Center and the Academic Center. These are just a few areas I recall as deadspots from my time at UPD.
The communication devices are sub-par. I can 100% vouche that when equipment is reported as “out of service/malfunctioning”, middle management will temporarily take that piece of equipment out of service….for that shift. Since there is very little communication from shift to shift, next shift comes on board and throws it right back into the service pile….jeopardizing another officer’s life. I hope someone doesn’t get hurt because of this negligence.
I was only promoted to communication’s Corporal by D. Stafford for 1 reason. See, at the time she wanted to fire me, I was in the union. And, because I was afforded certain rights in the union, she could not fire me simply because she did not like me. Agh, but she was clever. She promoted me to the position you (the audience) already know. For those who have forgot, it’s Comminication’s Corporal. As a manager, and without the protection of the union, I was easy pickens. I got fired shortly after and now I bless other citizens with my awesome powers. I know this because prior to me, that position did not exist. See the union is really a good thing. It protects common people such as myself from corporate power and ternary. Unfortunately, it also protects those who are not worth protecting. Not a sermon, just a thought.
I am the real Michael Wilhelm and I did not approve the above message.
I was only promoted to communication’s Corporal by D. Stafford for 1 reason. See, at the time she wanted to fire me, I was in the union. And, because I was afforded certain rights in the union, she could not fire me simply because she did not like me. Agh, but she was clever. She promoted me to the position you (the audience) already know. For those who have forgot, it’s Comminication’s Corporal. As a manager, and without the protection of the union, I was easy pickens. I got fired shortly after and now I bless other citizens with my awesome powers. I know this because prior to me, that position did not exist. See the union is really a good thing. It protects common people such as myself from corporate power and ternary. Unfortunately, it also protects those who are not worth protecting. Not a sermon, just a thought.
STOP the crap, the radio system is old and broken. Hate people that don’t know what they are talking about and have no real knowledge of what goes on in GWPD. Even though I agree with waiting until GWPD moves, the current conditions with the radio system needs to be addressed sooner rather then later. Officer safety should be considered by this university for once!!!!!
Sorry but I am a friend of Wilhelm and he knows me, but not under this name…..lol. Wilhelm you have truly been gone too long. First off the radios were bought back in 2002. I am positive of that I have never used the big square radios that 4-ride uses, which were the radios that preceded the radios that we have now. The new radios were in use prior to 2003, the end! The system has degraded considerably since your departure that is all..
UPD bought Motorola HT1250 radios in 2002 if that is what officers still have they did not get new radios in 2007 or 2008 as Wilhelm claims.
Yes, I do agree that there is a lot of RF Interference in the UPD system. Being an outsider (live on campus), I sometimes monitor the UPD frequency and all I get is static when an officer speaks. And GW has 3 antennas. One on the roof of Gelmann, One at 1900 F ST, and One at 2130 H ST.