So maybe this line of work will mean more spectrum available in the future.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_25
Public safety radio is a true mission critical service that moves slowly - equipment lasts years or decades and is expensive and not frequently replaced or upgraded, hence new technology adoption is slow. Vocoder choice is driven by a standards committee for interoperability (which has seen more emphasis since 9/11), and of course committees aren't typically known for working fast. Public safety radio is definitely not a place for a "move fast and break things" mentality.