Public Safety

January 10. 2013 10:18PM

Pinkerton donates police radio transmitter, receiver

DERRY - When the new academic building opened at Pinkerton Academy in 2011, the Derry Police Department encountered problems with radio reception in the building.

To alleviate the problem, the school has agreed to purchase and install a new radio receiver and transmitter in the building.

"We simply couldn't effectively communicate in that building," said police Capt. George Feole. "It was primarily due to the modern construction and the materials used in that building."

In conjunction with Pinkerton Academy, the police department conducted a study and consulted with radio experts to see how to best solve the problem.

"We found that the best solution was to put a radio transmitter and a radio receiver, antennas practically speaking, on the campus," said Feole. "Pinkerton Academy generously stepped forward and offered to purchase and install that equipment. Eventually, it will become part of the town and the Derry Police Department's radio infrastructure."

Pinkerton has ordered the radio equipment, and the Town Council unanimously accepted the donation from the school.

"The whole project exemplifies the partnership between Pinkerton Academy and the Derry Police Department, specifically the efforts by (Headmaster Mary) Anderson to enhance public safety on campus," said Feole.

Councilor Phyllis Katsakiores asked Feole if the new Center for Career and Technical Education, which is under construction, would affect the radio signals on campus."

It remains to be seen, but it shouldn't because of the proximity of this new radio equipment," he said. "It will be close enough to any building on campus that it should effectively take care of any problems that may occur."

In addition to the radio equipment, the police department recently received a second round of portable radios from the state. Feole said the state recently found uncommitted funds from a federal grant and decided to award additional portable radios to police departments throughout New Hampshire.

The most recent award saw Derry getting six radios, valued at $27,000. In October, the police department received a $97,000 grant for 29 portable Motorola radios.