The Bartlesville Police Department will upgrade its older VHF radio system at the beginning of the new year, improving coverage locally and statewide for police officers.

Police Chief Tracy Roles said this is a much needed fix. Roles said they have a system now that is less than adequate. He said there are so many place in the City of Bartlesville where an officer will go to talk on his or her radio and it's nothing but static.

The same goes for in-car radios. Static is a problem. Chief Roles said the radio static is a huge safety concern. He said it shouldn't be a lengthy process to get there radio system upgraded to the 800 MHz system to start 2021.

Radio communication should be clear and extensive once the upgrade is complete. Chief Roles said they'll be able to communicate more distinctly with other agencies in Washington County as well as the Tulsa Police Department without interference. If the Bartlesville Police Department were to finds themselves in Tulsa County because of a police pursuit, because they were searching for a missing person, or because they were working some other crime, Chief Roles said it it would be great to know that they'll be able to communicate with their communication center back in Bartlesville. He said the upgrades to their radio system in 2021 will do that for them.

In August 2020, voters approved the City of Bartlesville's General Obligation Bond proposal and extension of the half-cent Capital Improvement Projects sales tax. Approximately $2-million in funding was included for the BPD's radio system upgrades in the $30-million that was approved for the city's capital improvement projects over the next several years.

Chief Roles said he believes that almost everyone in the community supports law enforcement and the mission of law enforcement. Roles said not everyone agrees with them, and that's fine, but for the most part, the citizens trust and support law enforcement. When citizens vote for Bond Issues that support public safety, Chief Roles said it shows him that they live in a supportive community that wants public safety to be the best that it can be. He said the BPD is very thankful for the voters that voted in favor of the G.O. Bond in August.