TEXARKANA, Texas - During a meeting Monday, the City Council approved purchase of new dispatch, records and jail management computer systems to coordinate operations among both Texarkanas' police departments and the Bowie County Sheriff's Office.
The new Motorola systems will reconcile how the law enforcement agencies' computers "talk" to each other. All systems in use are nearing or beyond their expected functional lifespans. The three agencies are headquartered in the Bi-State Justice Building.
Currently when an officer writes a report for Texarkana Texas Police Department a Bowie County Sheriff's deputy can see that information. A Texarkana, Arkansas, police officer cannot. When a Texarkana, Arkansas, police officer writes a report, Texarkana, Texas, and Bowie County cannot see that report, said Doug Avery with the Bi-state's Central Records and Communication Division.
The upgrade will be paid for from the CRC budget, to which both cities and the county contribute a third each. Texarkana, Texas' portion of the cost will not exceed $600,000, according to the resolution passed Monday.
Total cost of the five-year contract will be $2.5 million, with $1.7 million due the first year and $200,000 due each of the remaining four years.
"With this system from the time you call 911 until the time of case file is sent to the district attorney's office to file charges and carry out a prosecution, everything will be Motorola solutions. They are robust enough. They are large enough," Avery said, adding that the new systems will be fully compatible with the agencies' Motorola radios.
Unspent funds allocated to the CRC's 2020 and 2021 budgets, totaling $1.2 million to $1.3 million, will be used to help pay for the upgrade.
"We have had some openings in dispatch I've been unable to fill. So there is some money left over," Avery said.
The Arkansas-side Board of Directors approved paying for its portion of the project during a regular meeting last week.
In other business, the Council voted to accept a refund of more than $39,000 from AEP/SWEPCO for city lighting services. A recent comprehensive audit of all lighting in the city revealed that the refund was due.
During a report to the Council, Interim City Manager David Orr said that Mary Philips, who had applied for a spot on the ballot in this year's election for the Ward 2 seat on the Council, has withdrawn from the race and incumbent Mary Hart will run unopposed. Philips did not, however, withdraw in time for her name to be removed from the ballot.
That leaves the Texas-side mayor's race as the only city government election in either Texarkana this year. Incumbent Bob Bruggeman is facing a challenge from former Council Member Brian Matthews.
The Council's next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 11.