North Bay Police Chief Daryl Longworth is in a tough position.
The police chief came forward with a new police budget for 2025 which recommends a 12.79 per cent increase from 2024.
However, not included in that ask is another situation that will impact the capital budget.
Longworth says the service needs to upgrade an aging radio system that he says has dead zones within multiple buildings in the city.
"So on the capital budget side, which we didn't ask for approval today, because I do still want to do some more work on it, but we have identified a significant concern with our radio system," the Chief admitted after Tuesday's monthly police board meeting.
"There's in-building coverage issues where officers can't communicate and can't receive information as well. There are infrastructure issues that are becoming end-of-life. This had not been previously budgeted for, or was not on the radar in the capital budget process."
See related: North Bay Police looking for significant increase for 2025 budget
Longworth says the new radio hardware will cost in excess of $1 million.
"So this is a new and additional ask that's quite costly. but it's certainly something I must have, and that's why I've asked the board for time to go back and look at the rest of the capital budget to see where else we can identify maybe there are still priorities, but maybe not as essential priorities as a radio system is a lifeline for our people," he said.
"So I must have that."
Longworth notes that the old system is more than 10 years old.
"As you know, technology changes, and as that technology changes, the hardware to support that technology, sometimes doesn't always talk to each other. So it's just time for a new system," said Longworth.