(TNS) – When the radio of a Bakersfield police officer breaks, the IT department doesn’t call the manufacturer for a replacement. They go to eBay to try to find extra parts.

The 20-year-old public safety radio system for both Bakersfield and Kern County is outdated. The manufacturer of the radios no longer services the devices nor produces parts for upgrades.

Agencies like the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office use their radio systems for officers and the dispatch centers to communicate with each other.

The city and county have begun formulating a strategy for updating the aging analog system to digital.

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http://www.govtech.com/em/preparedness/City-Hopes-Sales-Tax-Could-Pay-for-Upgrade-of-Outdated-Public-Safety-Radio-System.html