Local officials and members of the community gathered Thursday at Ryon Memorial Park to mark the ground-breaking of Lompoc's new radio network, a $4.6 million project set to replace the city's 35-year-old system.

"Over the decades it has served us well but as with all technology, time has caught up with it," said Lompoc Chief of Police Kevin Martin during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "By investing in these radios, we are investing in [first responders'] safety and effectiveness, which ultimately benefits every resident in Lompoc."

The new JVC Kenwood Atlas P25 system will reportedly deliver advanced communication capabilities to key city departments, including police, fire, public works, utilities, and community development departments, as well as county fire, sheriffs and Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The new system will also strengthen emergency response capabilities to 15 Lompoc schools, installing direct-line infrastructure from campuses to first responders.

System conversion from analog to a fully encrypted digital network is projected to be completed by summer of 2025.

The project is funded by the city's general, enterprise, road, and internal service funds.