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Police union
drops ads criticizing
balky radios

The city agrees to install
repeater-type antennas to
reduce radio blackouts

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By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's police union has halted its media campaign protesting the Honolulu Police Department's 800 megahertz radio system after meeting with city officials.

"They showed us a solution and addressed our primary concerns of shadow areas," said Alex Garcia, Oahu chapter chairman of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.

"The main thing is we don't have to wait six months. The temporary cures will be on line within four weeks."

A SHOPO director will be monitoring and working with officials setting up repeat transmitter antennas to eliminate small pockets or "shadowy areas" where transmissions are blocked, said Garcia.

Assistant Chief Eugene Uemura, who oversees HPD's system, says "shadowy areas" that have been identified are located in Waianae, Windward Oahu, Diamond Head and at the police headquarters building.

Officers are presently able to communicate car to car by radio in "shadow areas" but the additional antennae will eliminate transmission problems to dispatchers, the assistant chief said.

"We identified all the shadow areas while preparing for Y2K so if we have a natural disaster, we'll strategically locate a mobile car to pass on information," Uemura added.

SHOPO began running media spots yesterday calling the radio system inadequate and unsafe. Those advertisements will be replaced by new ads thanking the city administration for its quick response, said Garcia.

Uemura says Ericsson, Motorola and E.F. Johnson were the only three companies producing the 800mhz radio systems in 1991 when the City Council approved funds for the $20-million system.

"We've gone to police departments throughout the nation that have Johnsons as well as Motorolas," Uemura said.

"And everyone of them has their share of problems trying to adapt to this new technology."

The 800mhz system is sensitive, more sensitive than the 150mhz because is uses line of sight for transmission," Uemura noted. So tall buildings and thick vegetation can affect it, he added.

Uemura says there's no 100 percent system.

"Now, if we were able to put an antenna on each block throughout the island, we would have no problems," he said.

"But obviously we can't do that. So we're trying to get the best optimum use from cost-effective system."

Having 78 channels is the biggest advantage of the 800mhz system, he says.

"In the past, if an officer called in and the eight channels were all tied up, he had to wait," Uemura said.

"With this new system, the system will look for an open channel to get to dispatch."

The system will have to be adapted continuously because the technology is new and problems will arise, Uemura said.