ARLINGTON, Texas—The City of Arlington is moving forward with a plan to purchase $8.2 million in new public safety communication equipment, a measure approved by voters in the May 2025 bond election.
The purchase includes nearly 1,100 replacement radios for Arlington police officers and firefighters, which are used for day-to-day operations and emergency response. The equipment will replace outdated radios that have been in service for more than 10 years and are no longer supported by the manufacturer.
The new radios will feature modern technologies such as GPS and high-speed wireless communication, as well as artificial intelligence for police officers, to improve coverage, connectivity, and efficiency. The upgraded equipment is expected to be in use before the nine FIFA World Cup games scheduled at AT&T Stadium next summer.
In addition to the public safety purchase, the city is scheduled to sell a total of $45.5 million in bonds in late September to fund a number of other voter-approved projects, including:
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$8.5 million for new fire vehicles.
- $2.4 million for library facility repairs.
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$1.8 million for Parks and Recreation projects.
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$4 million for police station repairs.
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$20.6 million for Public Works projects.
The city's consistently high credit ratings from S&P Global Ratings (AAA), Moody's Ratings (Aa1), and Fitch Ratings (AAA on some credits) are expected to help secure a low-interest rate on the debt, saving taxpayer money.
