FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Town of Winchester Completes Major Public Safety Communications Upgrade
May 20, 2026, WINCHESTER, CT – The Town of Winchester is proud to announce the successful completion of its FY 2023 Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology and Equipment Grant project, funded entirely through an $850,000 Congressionally Directed Spending award secured by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal.
The grant funded the purchase and installation of new 800 MHz radios for the Winchester Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, Fire Marshal’s Office, and Emergency Management & Civil Preparedness Office. With the completion of the project, Town departments have direct access to the State of Connecticut’s secure Connecticut Land Mobile Radio Network (CLMRN), bringing a major upgrade to the Town’s emergency communications infrastructure.
Winchester’s rural landscape and outlying areas have historically made seamless radio communication more challenging, particularly during large-scale incidents or mutual aid responses that involve multiple agencies. Connecting to the CLMRN ensures that first responders and municipal departments now have access to a more reliable and interoperable communications system designed to support coordinated emergency response across the region.
The transition to the state’s secure network also strengthens coordination with Connecticut agencies that regularly operate within Winchester, including along the Town’s many state roads and facilities. Most importantly, the upgrade gives first responders the confidence that communication will not fail when emergencies occur. When seconds matter, reliable radio connectivity cannot be a concern, and this investment is a major step forward in protecting public safety throughout the community.
“This has been a top priority goal of Winchester since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection in 2020 to connect to the CLMRN,” said Town Manager Paul Harrington. “Thanks to the support of our Senators, we were able to accomplish this important public safety milestone entirely through federal grant funding, without adding pressure to local taxpayers through our capital improvement plan.”
For questions or requests for additional information, please contact the Office of the Town Manager at 860-738-6962.
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