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An Ottawa police officer had to be assisted by an off-duty colleague, who happened to be driving by, and an unarmed civilian who leaped into help with an arrest last week when the officer’s radio would not transmit his call for back up.

The incident is just one of the latest that continues to shake the force’s confidence in the $55-million city-owned radio system that has been plagued with problems since it rolled out across the police service in March. The system is operated by Bell.

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On the afternoon of May 6, police were called to the intersection of Bank Street and Heron Road after a report that a drunk man was staggering in and out of the road.

Sgt. Peter Van Der Zander was driving in the area, spotted the man and got out of the car to speak to him, but the man continued to flee.

“At that point it was clear to me that the male was not going to be cooperative and I attempted to radio for backup as I ran northbound trying to catch up to the male,” says an email, obtained by this newspaper, that the officer sent up the chain of command. “Unfortunately, my portable radio was defective and did not transmit.”