U.S. Representative Sandy Levin
12th District of Michigan

(Washington D.C.)- The Senate and the House have approved the annual spending bill for Science, State, Justice, and Commerce and Related Agencies.  Included in the bill is a total of $900,000 targeted at five communities in Macomb County to upgrade their radio communications equipment.

The County of Macomb is in the process of building an 800 MHz radio infrastructure that will provide universal communications ability to all police, fire and EMS emergency first responders throughout the County.  This $13.2 million dollar commitment by the County must be supplemented by the local communities needing the equipment to operate on the new system.

“It is absolutely vital that our first responders be able to communicate with each other,” said Rep. Sander Levin.  “The County has provided the financial leadership to build this system and it is appropriate that the Federal government pitch in to facilitate the local participation necessary to ensure full involvement in this important communications system.”

"The ability of our emergency personnel to communicate quickly and easily is crucial to our community's safety," Sen. Levin said.  "As I've traveled across Michigan, I have heard this repeated time and again from our fire fighters, police officers, border agents, and other emergency personnel.  This funding will help to ensure that these needs are met."

The $900,000 came as a result of mutual requests by Rep. Sander Levin and Senators Levin and Stabenow.

The bill includes the following entries for Macomb County (actual bill language in bold and italics):

Macomb County Communications Consortium - $600,000 (assigned to Senators Levin and Stabenow (50%) and Rep. Levin (50%).  Project description:

Macomb County Communications Consortium. Macomb County needs $1.6 million to fund the purchase of radio equipment for the safety of the residents and first responders of several communities.  The Cities of Roseville, Fraser, Utica, St. Clair Shores and Eastpointe in Macomb County Michigan have united to request assistance to help them fund the most important protection tool for citizens and First Responders alike-- communications. The County of Macomb has committed $13.2 million to build a county-wide communication infrastructure so that first responders can utilize the state's 800 mhz system to communicate between themselves, state police and county sheriff.  Federal agencies are also integral because this county shares an international border with Canada.  Individual municipalities have been tasked with supplying their own mobile equipment for the final phase of this project. These 5 municipalities are among the smallest in the county and their small tax bases make it impossible to furnish the equipment they need.

Roseville, Fraser, St. Clair Shores & Eastpointe, MI, Interoperable Communications - $300,000 (assigned to Rep. Levin). Project description:

Roseville, Fraser, Utica, St. Clair Shores and Eastpointe in Macomb County, Michigan Request for Interoperable Communication Equipment Funding. The Cities of Roseville, Fraser, Utica, St. Clair Shores and Eastpointe in Macomb County, Michigan have united to request assistance to help them fund the most important protective tool for citizen and First Responders alike – communications. The County of Macomb has committed $13.2 million to build a county-wide communication infrastructure so that First Responders can utilize the State’s 800 mhz system to communicate between themselves, State Police and county sheriff. Federal Agencies are also integral because the County shares an international border with Canada. Individual municipalities have been tasked with supplying their own mobile equipment for the final phase of this project. These 5 municipalities are among the smallest in the County and their small tax bases make it impossible to furnish the equipment they need.

The bill also includes language, Technology upgrades for law enforcement agencies in Macomb County, MI - $150,000 assigned to Rep. Candice Miller).

The three officials (Levin, Levin and Stabenow) also requested federal money for the Macomb County Emergency Management and Communications Department to support the overall interoperable communications project.  Although this request did not receive funding this year, it will continue to be pursued by their offices.

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