HD70 - Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) Program


Executive Summary:
Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, State Police Superintendent and Mr. Mark Moon, Vice President and General Manager of Motorola signed a $329 million contract between Motorola and the Commonwealth of Virginia for the design, construction, and implementation of Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) on July 13, 2004. A ceremonial contract signing was held on July 16, 2004, in conjunction with a press conference. The implementation phase of STARS is now underway.

STARS will provide multi-channel trunked digital voice and data wireless communications that is specifically designed for public safety requirements, based on APCD Project 25 technology. The existing State Police microwave radio network's technology and capacity will be upgraded and disaster recovery alternate paths will be added. The STARS contract will provide essential public safety grade communications that can operate seamlessly throughout the Commonwealth for the 21 state agencies and facilitate interoperability with local governments and federal agencies. The interoperability solutions within STARS will allow each locality, at the county and city level, to communicate with other STARS users through a patch activated by a STARS dispatcher. The patch will be able to interface with any radio system, regardless of the operating frequency. This interoperability solution will be implemented at no cost to the localities. Direct interoperability can also be employed with the STARS portable radios which will operate on 800 MHz frequencies that will allow STARS users to operate on other agencies' 800 MHz networks.

The STARS design is a culmination of partnering with the Commonwealth, the project's engineering consultant Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, Inc. (HSMM) / CTA Communications, and Motorola. Meeting needs, utilizing existing resources, and minimizing risk were heavily weighted design parameters in developing the STARS contract. Capitalizing on existing infrastructure and resources, whenever possible, benefited the Commonwealth in the ability to implement STARS in a cost effective manner. Finally, design risk is minimized through the use of Motorola, a proven system integrator and communications manufacturer, along with the use of a redundant, fault-tolerant, hierarchal design that allows for re-routing in case of a single point of failure. The wireless communications system for the Commonwealth of Virginia contains today's latest technology and will continue to provide updated technology at no additional cost throughout the STARS implementation. STARS allows the Commonwealth to retain a high level of service and security, plus flexibility to add more users when additional radio frequencies are available. In all applicable design components, STARS has addressed safeguards to system security, including controlled system access, and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption for law enforcement users. The system infrastructure will serve the Commonwealth for many years to come.