HONOLULU -- Honolulu Police Department officials defended the rising costs of their controversial, troubled-plagued radio system Tuesday to the Honolulu City Council.

The digital radio system has been plagued by sporadic glitches and transmission problems since its installation in 1998.

The city originally set aside $20 million for the system, but the council has so far budgeted more than $40 million for police radios. Police officials said that some of that money has been spent to expand the capabilities of the system, such as adding mobile computers to police vehicles.

"In six months to a year, we will have one of the best telecommunications systems in the United States, bar none," Assistant Police Chief Eugene Uemura said.

Uemura said that every police department in the country that has installed a digital radio system has suffered some problems while growing into the system.