Authorities hope to upgrade Broward County radio system by year's end

[Unregistered]

Great question/observation if you can ever get a straight answer from someone in the know can you please share it with our dysfunctional forum?

Gladly. You will have two choices with the new radios here at BSO that are beginning to be issued and some have already. You can use your standard wired shoulder mic, or the Bluetooth wireless shoulder mic. If you use the Bluetooth, you have to understand how it works and the limitations. If the Bluetooth shoulder mic is knocked off of your body and is lying 10 feet away, it will still be connected. There is a button on the radio itself that disconnects the Bluetooth so you can still transmit/receive through the radio itself while it's on your hip. If someone knocks your shoulder mic off, you should be dealing with that threat. If you are focusing on the fight like you should be, press your emergency button and take care of business while backup heads your way. This has nothing to do with Motorola, Bluetooth is Bluetooth. You are being given the option to use what you're comfortable with, and based on your own capability. This information will be provided to everyone and this information will also be reinforced at future training. Like a lot of tools we have available, it's based on the individual's capability, and practice/repetition is vital whether in a formal training environment, or on your own. Many people have asked for this tool/flexibility and want it. If you don't feel safe using the Bluetooth mic, don't use it and use the standard wired shoulder mic.

[Unregistered]

I work for a different agency, and we've been "updated" with these new Motorola radios. The main question I have about them seems to be a serious safety issue.
When using the bluetooth shoulder mic that's linked with the hand held radio, how far do the two have to be separated before you can use the handheld unit again? It would make sense if this was thought about ahead of time.
I'm guessing the Motorola idiots never thought that in a physical fight with someone, we tend to lose pieces of equipment. Losing that shoulder mic 10 feet away can mean the life, death or serious injury of an officer because they can't use the handheld radio.

BSO deputies will have two choices with the new radios that are beginning to be issued. You can use your standard wired shoulder mic, or the Bluetooth wireless shoulder mic. If you use the Bluetooth, you have to understand how it works and the limitations. If the Bluetooth shoulder mic is knocked off of your body and is lying 10 feet away, yes, it will still be connected. There is a button on the radio itself that is programmed to disconnect the Bluetooth so you can still transmit/receive through the radio itself while it's on your hip. If someone knocks your shoulder mic off, you should be dealing with that threat. If you are focusing on the fight like you should be, press your emergency button and take care of business while backup heads your way. This has nothing to do with Motorola, Bluetooth is Bluetooth. Deputies are being provided with the option to use what they're comfortable with, and based on their own capability. This information will be provided to everyone and this information will also be reinforced at future training. Like a lot of tools we have available, it's based on the individual's capability, and practice/repetition is vital whether in a formal training environment, or on your own. Many people have asked for this tool/flexibility and want it. If you don't feel safe using the Bluetooth mic, don't use it and use the standard wired shoulder mic. Same way we choose what firearms and less lethal weapons that we're comfortable using.

[Unregistered]

Gladly. You will have two choices with the new radios here at BSO that are beginning to be issued and some have already. You can use your standard wired shoulder mic, or the Bluetooth wireless shoulder mic. If you use the Bluetooth, you have to understand how it works and the limitations. If the Bluetooth shoulder mic is knocked off of your body and is lying 10 feet away, it will still be connected. There is a button on the radio itself that disconnects the Bluetooth so you can still transmit/receive through the radio itself while it's on your hip. If someone knocks your shoulder mic off, you should be dealing with that threat. If you are focusing on the fight like you should be, press your emergency button and take care of business while backup heads your way. This has nothing to do with Motorola, Bluetooth is Bluetooth. You are being given the option to use what you're comfortable with, and based on your own capability. This information will be provided to everyone and this information will also be reinforced at future training. Like a lot of tools we have available, it's based on the individual's capability, and practice/repetition is vital whether in a formal training environment, or on your own. Many people have asked for this tool/flexibility and want it. If you don't feel safe using the Bluetooth mic, don't use it and use the standard wired shoulder mic.

Here we go again with the "It's the officer's fault" mentality. Clearly you're someone that is getting a kick back from Motorola, you work for the company or you haven't worked on the road in quite some time and it's your idea to keep them.
Let me propose this scenario. I take your shoulder mic and throw it away and start kicking the crap out of you. Do you really think you're gonna remember which buttons to push as you're getting your ears boxed in? I don't think so. You've gotta also keep in mind that bluetooth doesn't really allow you to use the system for longer than a shift since it kills the battery faster. So if I propose the same scenario at the end of your shift, you are screwed.
Let me guess what your response will be...."Carry an extra battery".
Motorola sucks!!! We all know it.

[Unregistered]

I will. I can guarantee their quick fix though will be some type of lanyard which poses another problem and safety issue.

No, there will be no lanyards. See other response. NOTHING is infallible. Everything has it's limitations and the user needs to understand and prepare for those circumstances. Simply, you have two choices - use the Bluetooth mic if you want or if you're not comfortable with your ability to use it safely, use the regular shoulder mic. They all have their drawbacks and you should prepare for any circumstance that might confront you for any of the tools on your bat belt- what if my Taser is ineffective? What if my gun stovepipes? What if my asp is ineffective? What if my radio suddenly won't transmit? What if I'm suddenly on my back getting pummeled? The list is endless and not exclusive to wireless shoulder mics. Too many deputies/officers have gotten their clock cleaned because they're hyper focused on the sudden failure of a single device they've (foolishly) put 100% faith into, instead of preparing for reality of potential failure/ineffectiveness and taking the necessary fight or flight to protect themselves from further harm. If we all were restricted from using all of the tools available to use because of a small majorities' inability to prepare for those devices' potential shortcomings/failure, we'd all have just an old school night stick, and one standardized firearm.

[Unregistered]

Here we go again with the "It's the officer's fault" mentality. Clearly you're someone that is getting a kick back from Motorola, you work for the company or you haven't worked on the road in quite some time and it's your idea to keep them.
Let me propose this scenario. I take your shoulder mic and throw it away and start kicking the crap out of you. Do you really think you're gonna remember which buttons to push as you're getting your ears boxed in? I don't think so. You've gotta also keep in mind that bluetooth doesn't really allow you to use the system for longer than a shift since it kills the battery faster. So if I propose the same scenario at the end of your shift, you are screwed.
Let me guess what your response will be...."Carry an extra battery".
Motorola sucks!!! We all know it.

Let me explain it in an even simpler way just for you. It's a tool like any other. They've been used for years already without a problem by hundreds of BSO users and most radio and shoulder mic batteries last a shift and more. But nothing is perfect. If someone is trying to kick the crap outta me, guess what? I'm not worried about talking on my radio or disconnecting the Bluetooth. My priority is to kick the crap out of the other guy and hit my orange button when I can. If you did your job properly, you checked out on the radio for wherever you're at. Again, just like a Taser or anything else, if you're scared to use it because of the "what if", or you work a busy area and are worried all of your batteries won't last when using the Bluetooth, then don't. No one is telling you you have to. Stick to your wired shoulder mic. I'm guessing the majority of the agency would like the option and don't want to be restricted because a few of you are afraid of it. Meanwhile if you hate Motorola radios so much (the standard radio almost everywhere, and Harris radios are nearly identical), then we're waiting for you to invent a better radio please.

[Unregistered]

Let me explain it in an even simpler way just for you. It's a tool like any other. They've been used for years already without a problem by hundreds of BSO users and most radio and shoulder mic batteries last a shift and more. But nothing is perfect. If someone is trying to kick the crap outta me, guess what? I'm not worried about talking on my radio or disconnecting the Bluetooth. My priority is to kick the crap out of the other guy and hit my orange button when I can. If you did your job properly, you checked out on the radio for wherever you're at. Again, just like a Taser or anything else, if you're scared to use it because of the "what if", or you work a busy area and are worried all of your batteries won't last when using the Bluetooth, then don't. No one is telling you you have to. Stick to your wired shoulder mic. I'm guessing the majority of the agency would like the option and don't want to be restricted because a few of you are afraid of it. Meanwhile if you hate Motorola radios so much (the standard radio almost everywhere, and Harris radios are nearly identical), then we're waiting for you to invent a better radio please.

...oh, and additional to the above, Motorola didn't ask to sell them to us, we asked for them to offer deputies options that they have asked for. No one is forcing anything on anyone. It would seem that having choices and a say in things is what deputies want. If you're that guy that's not happy with anything, then sorry. It's not a "deputy's fault" mentality, it's a deputy's "responsibility" - all of ours to understand how things work, what we're comfortable with, and choosing the option best suited for the individual. Just trying to help you understand, but if that's impossible, your argument is moot anyway. Just use a wired shoulder mic.

[Unregistered]

...oh, and additional to the above, Motorola didn't ask to sell them to us, we asked for them to offer deputies options that they have asked for. No one is forcing anything on anyone. It would seem that having choices and a say in things is what deputies want. If you're that guy that's not happy with anything, then sorry. It's not a "deputy's fault" mentality, it's a deputy's "responsibility" - all of ours to understand how things work, what we're comfortable with, and choosing the option best suited for the individual. Just trying to help you understand, but if that's impossible, your argument is moot anyway. Just use a wired shoulder mic.

I'm just gonna simplify it so you can hopefully understand it better. Motorola's system and products suck. Apparently we're stuck with this defective equipment as long as there's people like you around. Thumbs down to your way of justifying a shoddy product.

[Unregistered]

I'm just gonna simplify it so you can hopefully understand it better. Motorola's system and products suck. Apparently we're stuck with this defective equipment as long as there's people like you around. Thumbs down to your way of justifying a shoddy product.

Ok, we're closer to an intelligent convo here. Yes, you're right. The system sucks. We hope it gete better with the new system. Maybe not. You don't have to like Motorola radios. But it's what we have and we have no choice. Some people love them, some people hate them. It's the county's choice unless that changes down the road. I have no say so in the matter like the rest of us. But two totally different topics. We were talking about the wireless shoulder mics. I'm not "justifying" anything. I'm simply saying, again, these are the accessories we have to choose from (and the only ones we can choose from). Understand how they work and their limitations. Most want the choice of the Bluetooth or the standard wired mic. Choose the one best for you.

[Unregistered]

I don't think the biggest issue is Motorola. They are one of the biggest & the most widely used of the manufacturers. I'll bet the issue is the county dose EVERYTHING on the cheap. Didn't our previous Motorola dispatch system have issues because the county only bought parts of the system/software & not the entire package? Anyone else remember this? If they continue this philosophy, they are putting our safety (& thus everyone's safety) in jeopardy. Public Safety dispatch systems just can't be put together in piecemeal fashion. The county needs to open their pocketbook and pay for a system that Motorola suggests for our county and it's geographic attributes. Settling on a minimum of repeaters to do the job is not acceptable. There should have more repeaters than we actually need with overlapping areas. If a site goes down, the others will still pick up the signals. This is something we need to hold the County Commission accountable for. All applicable unions (IUPA, IAFF, FOP & even those unfortunate enough to be PBA) need to send a strong united message about how important it is that they get this right.

Everyone in this county & it's visitors deserve a top shelf, first class radio/dispatch system. The County Commission needs to suck it up & pay for it. If not they all should be held accountable.