SAN DIEGO – San Diego’s patrol fleet received a $17.5 million upgrade as the city bought 103 new police vehicles and ordered a $15.1-million upgrade to its 15-year-old radio system, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Motorola recently announced that it would no longer provide parts and equipment for the city’s existing radio system after December. The upgrade will cost about $2.4 million annually. The radio system is used by about 13,000 people, including employees in San Diego’s police, fire, water, and wastewater departments. The San Diego Unified School District, the city of Poway, the San Diego Community College District, and the county’s first responders also use the system. The council also unanimously approved a $2.4 million deal to buy patrol vehicles from Villa Ford in Orange County. The Police Department has 368 vehicles with more than 100,000 miles. The industry’s replacement standard is 75,000 to 80,000 miles. According to the news report, a recent study indicated the city would need to spend $6 million annually to meet that standard. This year’s budget has $4.5 million set aside for purchasing vehicles.
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