Can You Hear Me Now?

SEPTA needs 23 million in upgrades.

By Colleen Wolfe

Although SEPTA Police may make commuters feel as ease, can they actually make a difference if there is a potential safety threat?

The answer literally lies in the hands of 50 people/organizations for the entire underground transportation system in the city of Philadelphia.

If you don’t know what why this is happening, chances are, you are not alone. There has been a problem, which is nothing new, between the communication of SEPTA police officers and the law enforcement above ground.

This block in communication is due to SEPTA’s outdated radio system. SEPTA police are currently using radios with a 400 megahertz bandwidth, which is not compatible with the rest of the Philadelphia Police radio systems, using 800 megahertz bandwidth.

In order for the SEPTA police to report criminal activity or intent, they now must go through one of the 50 walkie-talkies distributed to local firehouses and police stations throughout the city.

But these 50 walkie-talkies are no solution to a serious and pricey problem. The city has requested a reported twenty-three million dollars from the Department of Homeland Security for the installation of cable or fiber optics in SEPTA’s 27 miles of underground transportation.

With the potential threat of something more catastrophic than a purse snatching, communication between law enforcement should be a top priority in both Philadelphia and the United States; now we just have to convince that to the people in Homeland Security.

(Picture compliments of subwaynut.com)

Links:
Frankford Terminal Blog
Radio Connection Really Hertz