In the works for nearly four years, the radio system used by the Butler County 911 dispatch center and emergency responders throughout the county finally is finished.

And, surprise, it came in below budget.

The county’s final cost for the system was $9.8 million.

In 2017, Steve Bicehouse, county emergency services director, estimated the cost at about $14 million.

At that time, Bicehouse told commissioners that the county needed to acquire new radio frequencies because the federal government was taking away the bandwidth known as the T-band spectrum.

A 2012 law mandates that the Federal Communications Commission take away the T-band from emergency services in many areas nationally by 2022.

The new digital system is more efficient and has eliminated crowding on the various frequencies.

The extended project required the removal of some towers around the county used in the previous system and leasing new sites for towers, in addition to many other components.

Police officers and fire crews in the field rely on radio operators to dispatch them to emergency calls and to provide backup and supervision of the situation in the field.

The county’s 911 dispatchers could not do their work effectively without a telephone network that allows the citizens to report their emergencies.

In the 1970s, Butler became the first county in the state to have a 911 center that dispatched first responders to emergency scenes.

With that legacy of dedication to safety and emergency services, there is little doubt that the new 911 system, coordinated under Bicehouse’s direction, will serve residents and businesses well for decades to come.

We applaud county leaders for meeting the deadline for the upgrade and coming in at a lower cost than projected, but more so for their commitment to the safety of those who call Butler County home.

Way to go, Butler.

— JGG