Bates County Sheriffs Department Utilizes MOSWIN radio system‏

Missouri has built a statewide public safety interoperable communications system, known as the Missouri Statewide Interoperability Network (MOSWIN). MOSWIN is a network of communications towers, base stations and communications software. The project is providing the infrastructure that will provide interoperable communications throughout the state to both state public safety agencies and any local jurisdictions that wish to use the system for their interoperable communications. The system meets a Federal Communications Commission mandate that all public safety agencies in the U.S. operate only in a “narrowband” mode after Jan. 1, 2013. 

The Statewide Interoperability Network serves two primary functions:

· Providing internal communications capabilities for state agencies, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Department of Natural Resources and State Emergency Management Agency.

· Providing a statewide interoperability platform and access for local agencies to achieve interoperable communications with local, state, regional and federal agencies.

The network operates five channels per site in the “trunked” radio mode and utilizes predominantly VHF High Band public safety spectrum (150 MHz) consisting of 75 radio sites statewide.

Starting on 8/15/2013 the Bates County Sheriff’s Office has started using the MOSWIN system.  The yearlong project required the Sheriff’s Office to upgrade the entire radio system to digital radios.  Each patrol vehicle in the fleet required new radios and each Deputy received a new portable radio to carry. 

“Prior to utilizing the MOSWIN radio system the Bates County Sheriff’s Office has always struggled with radio coverage throughout the County.  It is a danger to the citizens and the Deputies that work for our County to not have a reliable radio system,” says Sheriff Anderson.   “In 2009, when I took office I began working on our radio system problems.  We began in 2010 with new radio console in the Communication room.  

Then we conducted studies of our radio coverage, just to find out that being the 6^thlargest county in the State of Missouri hindered our ability to have radio coverage without investing $250,000 to $500,000.  This cost would have been to place four additional antennas strategically throughout the county and upgrade the current mobile and portable radios.”

During the last four years citizens that had knowledge of the radio problems had offered to allow the county to install the needed antennas on their property.   Sheriff Anderson says, “By utilizing the MOSWIN system, which includes the utilizing State of Missouri’s antennas, Bates County has saved money on the cost of the antennas, installation, maintenance and future upgrades. The our total project cost was $92,000 saving our local tax payers anywhere from $160,000 to $400,000”

“Going digital on the MOSWIN system was a no brainer.  The average age of our current radios were about 10 years old or older.  We were in the need to upgrade our mobile and portable radios to be compliant with new regulations, so we purchased the digital radios.  Last year we received 4 radios on a MOSWIN Grant through the State of Missouri and this year we are receiving 2 additional radios through the same grant.  These two grants alone saved us an additional $30,000.” says Anderson.