The Village of Bridgeview Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 21 new radios for the Police Department at the February 5th meeting, ensuring that the Department remains fully equipped for proper communication. The radios cost about $191,000 and were paid for by a grant from Cook County Emergency Management. These radios are important for maintaining secure channels for officers to communicate with each other as well as their superiors during emergencies, routine work, and special events, such as when securing our neighborhoods and handling calls during music festivals. The radios are digital and encrypted so that non-law enforcement people are unable to overhear or monitor the radio traffic, and they will ensure that the Village of Bridgeview Police Department is able to communicate with any assisting agency or agencies that do not share their radio band/frequency, a useful ability when dealing with large events that require assistance from other law enforcement agencies. The Board also approved the hiring of Part-Time Police Officer Margaret Gutierrez, a recently retired officer of the Chicago Police Department with about 30 years of experience. Investing in the public safety of the Village of Bridgeview remains a top priority.
