HOLBROOK- In October 2023, the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) awarded the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) $7,136,353 in grant funding to help combat border-related criminal activity.
This funding will be dispersed into three major areas, communications, enforcement, and detention. NCSO has been working on a Regional Interoperability Communications Project to bridge gaps and expand public safety communication abilities throughout the county. A significant portion of the DEMA grant will be utilized to further extend this project. The money awarded is a significant windfall for the entire county by improving vital communications throughout the county.
Last year NCSO was able to purchase new radios through a previous grant, the DEMA grant has afforded NCSO to purchase an additional 175 mobile (in vehicle) and 175 portable (handheld) radios. These radios will be disseminated to all the municipal police departments in the county, essentially replacing every radio in every law enforcement vehicle throughout Navajo County.
Furthermore, NCSO is working to expand radio infrastructure with the installation of new repeater and antenna equipment at 8 new radio tower sites throughout Navajo County. These new radio tower sites will extend radio coverage across the length of the county from the Utah border at the north to the Salt River Canyon at the south. The awarded money will also fund upgrades to the current 8 radio towers.
With Navajo County being geographically challenged in communications for cellular service, NCSO has purchased a FirstNet; Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Tower (CRD), and 2 miniature Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Antennas.
The CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a 2-mile radius for cellular coverage. The mini CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a 1-mile radius for cellular coverage. This device can be utilized in remote areas that have limited to no cellular service. This will aid in various enforcement and rescue functions such as providing “LTE” cellular coverage for radios, cellphones, and in-car computers.
NCSO has also purchased licensing for the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) and the Geographic Information System (ArcGIS) which offers mapping systems that route 9-1-1 calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) as well as provide the exact location of deputies based on their geographical location.
Lastly, NCSO will be implementing three new programs in our dispatch center. Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD), Emergency Police Dispatching (EPD), and Emergency Fire Dispatching (EFD) are all systematic programs designed for handling the specific calls we receive. With NCSO dispatching for the Holbrook Police Department, Holbrook Fire, Holbrook EMS, Joseph City Fire, Sun Valley Fire, and the Petrified National Forest, these programs will be of great assistance. When utilizing EMD, EPD, and EFD, specific questions and instructions are provided to the dispatcher that are prompted by the type of call that is received.
“We are proud of the work our office does every day and are excited to bring these critically necessary tools to all of Navajo County,” said the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office.
Part two of this three-part series will be released soon.
Press Release from Navajo County Sheriffs Office.
Mountain Daily Star Reports.