Some North Otago police cars have been fitted with digital radios so officers can communicate with South Canterbury staff, but timing of the introduction to the rest of the Southern police district is unclear, as it depends on Government funds.
South Canterbury changed to digital encrypted radio last week.
Southern police district operations manager Inspector Lane Todd confirmed selected Otago vehicles, including one in Kurow, one Omarama vehicle, two in Oamaru, and two Otago rural highway patrol vehicles, were fitted with digital encrypted radios to allow staff from those areas to operate in support of and be supported by South Canterbury police staff.
All officers who had use of the digital radios still had analogue radios in their vehicles, and stations and had portable analogue radios for communication with southern district staff.
Putting digital radios in place in the remainder of the district was dependent on further funding from the Government, Insp Todd said.
