Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2022, $400,000)
BJA FY 2022 Invited to Apply – Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/
Byrne Discretionary
Solicitation (O-BJA-2022-171241)
Program Abstract
PROJECT TITLE: This project is to equip and update handheld communication radios for the Public Safety Departments – Carlsbad Fire and Carlsbad Police Departments in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
The City of Carlsbad was invited to participate in the Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding Program. The $400,000 allocated through Byrne Discretionary funding will provide the City with the needed funding to complete the Public Safety Hand-held Radio Upgrade for its Public Safety Departments - Carlsbad Fire and Carlsbad Police Departments, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The City of Carlsbad being the county seat and largest city within Eddy County in southeastern New Mexico with a population of approximately 62,314 and well up to 70,000 due to the transient workers covers Fire and EMS for an area of approximately 5,000 square miles. The Carlsbad Police Department also covers public safety for the large population within the City limits as well as provides mutual aid in the various surrounding communities in the region.
The Carlsbad Police Department has a total of 75 Law Enforcement Officers and 31 civilian personnel, and the Carlsbad Fire Department has a total of 60 Firefighter/EMS personnel and 4 administrative support staff. The Carlsbad Fire Department holds a dual role by handling Fire and EMS calls in this area. The plan is to purchase the equipment through a GSA/Cooperative Program approved vendor(s). The Carlsbad Fire Department is requesting to upgrade approximately 45 communication hand-held. The Carlsbad Police Department is requesting to replace approximately 50 hand-held communication radios. The radios will be compatible with each other as well as with the radios the department has been upgrading recently.
The hand-held radio communication upgrades will directly help strengthen community safety and protect the public from crime and evolving threats. As the departments have more reliable interoperable communication, they are better able to respond to safety and crime incidents. If they cannot communicate and share information quickly, critical time is wasted and lives could be lost. Interoperable communication is key to help improve operational efficiency and response time.