Victoria police and firefighters want new radio system

Police and firefighters in Victoria say their radios often don't work in emergencies and unions in four municipalities are demanding a new radio system to replace the current one.

There have been several problems recently with the communications system, which is known as CREST.

First, an independent report concluded the system will fail in a major emergency. Then, during a recent emergency exercise, the system failed for about an hour. And during last week's windstorm, it failed again.

Victoria City councillor Dean Fortin plans to push for an assessment of the system, but he says he needs the co-operation of all the other municipalities and police and fire services that use CREST.

But police and firefighters don't want another review; they want a back up system installed immediately.

"This is issue is more than simply something about officer safety," says Sgt. Steve Ing of the Victoria Police Union. "When one of our police officers needs to call a fire truck or ambulance for one of your loved ones, we need to know that we'll be heard."

Police and firefighter unions are calling for a correction of CREST's coverage problems and the addition of a backup cellular-based system.

Victoria police have already spent $8,000 new cell phones for their own separate backup.

The CREST system was installed just two years ago for more than $17 million.