#parent | #kids | #childmolestor | Lake County Council puts together money needed for new sheriff’s department radios

Author: GREGORY EVANS Category: Greg's Blog


CROWN POINT — The Lake County Council has pieced together the money needed to replace the outdated portable radios used by the sheriff’s department.

The seven-member county financial management panel is expected to vote Tuesday to reallocate $1.66 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds originally set aside for unspecified purposes to buy the radios at a cost $12,000 each.

The sheriff’s department plans to acquire 175 radios for a price tag of $2.1 million. The remaining money for the purchase is coming out of prior appropriations to the the department.

“This is a critical piece of public safety equipment and we’re going to be able to put the equipment in the hands of our officers next year some time because of your assistance,” county Police Chief Vincent Balbo said.

“Obviously, from the sheriff, we can’t thank you enough. This would not happen if not for the Lake County Council. Thank you very much for supporting public safety.”

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Balbo explained that the department’s Motorola radios, purchased in 2013, are beyond their seven-year anticipated lifespan and no longer will be supported by the manufacturer after Dec. 31, 2023.

He said replacing the radios with Motorola’s APX NEXT model will provide county police improved communications, secure messaging, an officer locator tool, and the ability to run on wifi networks or radio signals, which Balbo said is essential inside schools and large commercial buildings that have thick walls.

Most of the county’s nearly $100 million in ARPA money is going toward replacing failing septic systems with sanitary sewer service in Calumet Township and unincorporated Crown Point.

“Wow, man. What a scene. You can’t make up what we see out here on any given day,” Hobart patrol officer Tommie Tatum said.


However, each council member retained about $1 million for to-be-determined needs in their district or the county.

Councilmen Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, and Al Menchaca, D-Gary, along with former Councilman Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, who was elected Nov. 8 to the Indiana Senate, allocated a portion of their unspent funds to the sheriff’s radio replacement project.

Councilman Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said he’s also willing to kick in if the county’s emergency management agency is interested in obtaining the same advanced radios.



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