Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)

Six Shawnee County representatives will make a two-day visit this month to Richardson, Texas, to learn about a high-dollar, Cassidian Communications public safety radio system that city is putting in place.

County Commissioners Shelly Buhler, Ted Ensley and Mary Thomas voted 3-0 Thursday to approve out-of-state travel for the trip, which will take place Dec. 12 and 13.

County counselor Rich Eckert said sheriff’s office drug forfeiture money would be used to cover all expenses. No indication was given as to how much the trip would cost.

The site visit comes as county and city of Topeka officials are discussing acquiring a digital radio system to replace the analog one used by law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical responders. Sheriff Dick Barta told commissioners Feb. 24 the county has no choice but to replace its current system.

Barta, Police Chief Ron Miller and Capt. Lance Royer, county emergency communications center director, asked commissioners Feb. 24 to enter into a $19.2 million lease-purchase agreement with Motorola to acquire a digital system.

Commissioners put off a decision that day to allow for the matter to be examined more closely.

Eckert said Thursday that county staff members were looking at possibly acquiring a digital radio system from Cassidian, a defense and security subsidiary of the Leiden, Netherlands-based EADS group.

Royer told commissioners Richardson, Texas, is implementing a Cassidian system and plans beginning Dec. 11 to “roll it out” to all employees who will use it. Richardson is a city of about 100,000 people near Dallas.

Royer said local representatives planning to make the flight to look at Richardson’s system are himself, Eckert, Miller, Undersheriff Herman Jones, Shawnee Heights Fire Chief Tom Garcia and Stan Blanchard, senior communications engineer for the sheriff’s office.

The group also plans to spend a few hours looking at a Harris Corp. radio system at an airport in the area, Royer said.

He said participants plan to gather information to help commissioners “determine where we want to go” in terms of replacing Shawnee County’s radio system.

Commissioners on Thursday also learned from audit-finance director Stacey Woolington that amendments were being made to a proposed home rule resolution they planned to consider that day targeted at clarifying county purchasing procedures.

Commissioners heard the first reading of the proposal’s amended version, which they plan to take on next week.

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