Authorizing a Joint Hearing for both City Council's Committee on Public Safety and City Council's Committee on Technology and Information Systems to hold public hearings to investigate the malfunction of the City of Philadelphia's digital radio system which occurred twice: once, on March 25, 2004, at 8:59 P.M., and then on May 18, 2004, at 9:04 P.M.; and, in furtherance of such investigation, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.

WHEREAS

, Over six hundred Philadelphia Police Officers were placed in jeopardy when the citywide police radio system failed to function properly on Tuesday, May 18, 2004, leaving them without their electronic lifeline to headquarters; and

WHEREAS

, Fifty-two million dollars have been spent on a “State of the Art” communication system that has now failed twice in two months, without an explanation or assurance that this failure will not re-occur; and

WHEREAS

, Neither the City's officials, nor the Motorola's contractors that installed this system have been able to isolate the cause of this failure;

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

, That

City Council's Committee on Public Safety and City Council's Committee on Technology and Information Systems is hereby authorized to hold public hearings to investigate a malfunction of the City of Philadelphia's digital radio system which occurred twice: once, on March 25, 2004, at 8:59 P.M., and then on May 18, 2004, at 9:04 P.M.; and, in furtherance of such investigation, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.

End