Navajo County Sheriff’s Office secures funding for public safety activities

HOLBROOK, Ariz. — In October 2023 Navajo County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a $7.1 million grant from the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to help combat border-related criminal activity.

This funding will be dispersed into three major areas — communications, enforcement and detention, according to Navajo Country Sheriff’s Office.

A significant portion of the grant will be utilized to further extend a regional communications project that will help bridge gaps and expand public safety communication abilities throughout the county.

“The money awarded is a significant windfall for the entire county by improving vital communications throughout the county,” the sheriff’s office stated in a recent release.

Last year, the sheriff’s office was able to purchase new radios through a previous grant and now, through the DEMA grant Navajo County has purchased an additional 175 mobile and 175 portable 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, the sheriff’s office is working to expand radio infrastructure with the installation of a new repeater and antenna equipment at eight new radio tower sites throughout the county.

With Navajo County being geographically challenged in communications for cellular service, the sheriff’s office decided to purchase FirstNet; Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Tower (CRD), and two miniature Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Antennas. The CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a two-mile radius for cellular coverage. The mini CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a one-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.

Navajo County Sheriff’s Office also purchased licensing for mapping systems that route 9-1-1calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point as well as provide the exact location of deputies based on their geographical location.

Lastly, Navajo County will be implementing three new programs in its dispatch center which are all systematic programs designed for handling specific calls.

HOLBROOK, Ariz. — In October 2023 Navajo County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a $7.1 million grant from the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to help combat border-related criminal activity.

This funding will be dispersed into three major areas — communications, enforcement and detention, according to Navajo Country Sheriff’s Office.

A significant portion of the grant will be utilized to further extend a regional communications project that will help bridge gaps and expand public safety communication abilities throughout the county.

“The money awarded is a significant windfall for the entire county by improving vital communications throughout the county,” the sheriff’s office stated in a recent release.

Last year, the sheriff’s office was able to purchase new radios through a previous grant and now, through the DEMA grant Navajo County has purchased an additional 175 mobile and 175 portable 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, the sheriff’s office is working to expand radio infrastructure with the installation of a new repeater and antenna equipment at eight new radio tower sites throughout the county.

With Navajo County being geographically challenged in communications for cellular service, the sheriff’s office decided to purchase FirstNet; Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Tower (CRD), and two miniature Compact Rapid Deployable Cell Antennas. The CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a two-mile radius for cellular coverage. The mini CRD is a portable tower that can boost up to a one-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.

Navajo County Sheriff’s Office also purchased licensing for mapping systems that route 9-1-1calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point as well as provide the exact location of deputies based on their geographical location.

Lastly, Navajo County will be implementing three new programs in its dispatch center which are all systematic programs designed for handling specific calls.