In Tempe, Arizona, the delivery of high-tech gear intended to equip and enhance the local police force has hit a perplexing standstill. ABC15 Investigators unearthed that over 300 Panasonic FZ40 laptops, earmarked for the Tempe Police Department, have languished in a warehouse since their delivery at the end of August 2023. This situation is compounded by 600 sophisticated radios, equipped with GPS technology, that remain similarly unutilized since their arrival in the same timeframe, as reported by ABC15.
The saga of these idle devices stems back to an October 2022 approval by Tempe City Council for a $5 million contract with Motorola Solutions. However, in an atypical twist, internal documents obtained by ABC15 indicate that issues within the department's Technical Services Unit (TSU) may be partly to blame. A retired officer who served with the TSU told the outlet, "I tried to report some problems in the unit. I tried to go through the proper channels, the chain of command, and I reported them to the city." This officer, who remains anonymous for fear of retaliation, had previously filed a whistleblower complaint in 2021 over project delays and mismanaged funds.
Tempe officials responded to the inaction claim, explaining the intricate procedures involved in deploying the laptops, which include security and encryption measures. City spokesperson Kris Baxter asserted to ABC15, "Police officers in the field have radios and laptops that work well to do their jobs. No investigation has been hindered by a lack of this technology." The city also contended that about 150 city vehicles require special fittings to accommodate the new laptops, a process that is underway with no clear completion date.
On the radio front, Baxter explained that the new radio models were found to have manufacturer defects after 100 units were deployed in a pilot program. "We are working with the provider to have the issue resolved before issuing any more of those radios," the city admitted. As for Motorola Solutions, their statement vowed cooperation, stating, "We work closely with all of our customers to address feedback and support the deployment and operation of their technology solutions. We are currently working with the Tempe Police Department to understand and address this matter."
Last year, faced with the fallout of the TSU's dysfunction and subsequent member losses, Chief Kenneth McCoy proclaimed that corrective measures were taken swiftly. "Upon learning about these issues, my executive leadership team and I took immediate action to address these matters," he outlined in a YouTube statement. Meanwhile, future modernizations like the Real-Time Operations Center show the department's ambitions for advancements in law enforcement capabilities.
Frustration simmers among former and perhaps current officers, with one retired officer lamenting to ABC15, "It's frustrating because it seems like they're just trying to bury the problems or hide the problems instead of just dealing with the problems."
