Article Summary
The Frankfort Village Board has approved the purchase of 14 new Kenwood portable radios for the police department at a cost not to exceed $31,000. The new equipment will replace aging units that have become unreliable and costly to repair.

Police Radio Purchase Key Points:

• The board authorized the purchase of 14 Kenwood VP5430 portable radios.

• The total cost will not exceed $31,000.

• The radios are being purchased from Ragan Communications, Inc. under competitive bid pricing.

• The new units will replace aging radios originally issued in 2017.

FRANKFORT – The Frankfort Police Department will soon be equipped with new portable radios after the Village Board on Monday authorized the purchase of 14 new units to replace aging equipment.

The board approved a resolution allowing the department to spend up to $31,000 for the Kenwood VP5430 portable radios. The purchase from Ragan Communications, Inc. was recommended by the village’s Committee of the Whole following a competitive bidding process.

Trustee Michael Leddin presented the item, explaining the necessity of the upgrade. “The police department seeks to purchase 14 Kenwood VP5430 portable radios to replace aging units originally issued in 2017,” Leddin said.

According to a village memo, the existing radios are showing signs of age, with several units experiencing internal electronic failures, including spontaneously changing channels. Repairs average $300 to $400 per unit and can take several months to complete. The purchase is part of a long-term plan to replace radios in stages to ensure the fleet remains reliable for officers.

The purchase was included in the current fiscal year budget. Ragan Communications is expected to deliver the new radios in October 2025. The motion was approved as part of the board’s unanimous consent agenda.