Atkinson Taxpayers Document Archive

In 2004, several area Police Departments including Atkinson, Plaistow and Kingston, collaborated on a solution to the police radio communication problem plaguing the area. Plaistow Police Chief Savage headed this effort, a study was done and a Federal Homeland Security Law Enforcement Terrorism Protection Program ( LETPP) grant application was filed with the State of NH Department of Safety. Over $81k was received in 2005 and in accordance with Federal law, reports filed detailing the location of the equipment in Atkinson, Plaistow and Kingston.

Police Chief Consentino has repeatedly and publicaly denied receiving any grant money. In fact, this equipment was purchased and recorded as being installed in Atkinson! Up until recently, requests for the grant documentation under RSA 91A, were denied by the State of NH, Department of Safety. According to the grant documentation, Atkinson received a receiver, canopy microwave and two IPmux.

According to a recent statement by Atkinson Selectman Bill Bennett, Plaistow Police Chief Savage and Atkinson Police Lt. Bill Baldwin thought the the equipment could be placed on the APD antenna but it wasn’t high enough so it was thrown into a closet in Plaistow. The equipment was never installed but the funds were disbursed to 2-Way Communications for the installation and to the town of Plaistow for the equipment purchase.

Bennett claims that a repeater purchased under this grant was instead installed on Timberlane HS to improve police radio communication in the school. Bennett is also looking to find out what happened to the rest of the equipment Atkinson received since the Atkinson Communication Committee is looking for similar or identical equipment to solve the problem now. Bennett claims that Lt. Baldwin has the information but cannot be reached at his post in the Middle East and has no access to email.

Is anyone else wondering why they pushed so hard for a $700k tower to support $9k worth of equipment?

Where did the repeater at the HS come from?

How much more of this solution was not installed and not used as reported?

The Federal grant indicates that a study was done yet no one knew the APD antenna was not high enough, not sturdy enough?

Why does the application claim that the Atkinson equipment would be installed on the Atkinson Fire Department, while Bennett claims the plan was to install it at the APD?

First Responder Grant Documents [PDF]
First Responder Grant Documents II [PDF]