Sussex Police is to spend £17.6 million on state-of-the-art digital radios.

The new handsets are expected put an end to the crackly reception and coverage blindspots of their analogue predecessors when they are introduced in 2003.

The force has signed up to BT's Airwave service which is expected to cover every force in the country by 2005.

The multi-functional handsets form an all-in-one radio, phone and data terminal giving officers instant access to local and national databases and on-the-spot checks on identity and criminal records.

BT said the digital reception quality will help reduce the risk of misunderstanding when officers communicate from noisy environments such as nightclubs or motorways.

The new service is also encrypted so criminals can no longer illegally eavesdrop on police conversations.

Each handset is equipped with a mini-transmitter keeping a constant check on the officer's whereabouts. Emergency buttons mean they can quickly and silently call for back-up.

The additional coverage will mean the force's 3,000 officers can rely on their radios in areas traditionally recognised as having poor reception, such as the lee of the South Downs.

Paul Vincent, Airwave manager for Sussex police, said: "This will offer individual officers the best opportunity to maintain contact both in and out of their vehicles and will improve their safety and performance wherever they are asked to respond within Sussex.

"Officer safety is paramount to us but our community will also benefit from the elements of Airwave that help us police more effectively."