Board approves grant‑funded underwater ROV for sheriff’s boating program after privacy and cost questions

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors approved a grant‑funded purchase of an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system and training from RJE Oceanbotics for $114,998.40 to support the sheriff’s boating and recovery operations.

Several members of the public asked how the equipment would be used and raised concerns about privacy, potential downstream costs and whether the county had a written drone/UAV policy. Chuck DeShazer urged the board to “get questions answered before you spend $115,000,” saying commercial divers still may be needed to recover items or free a tethered vehicle.

Sheriff Shuster, appearing remotely, answered those concerns: “We are buying an underwater ROV system. It’s a highly technical computing system…this is for use, unfortunately, mostly for recovery purposes,” he said, adding the unit includes sonar to locate objects and a long tether to operate at depth and that it has produced “extremely great results” in other cases. He also said the majority of the waterways program, including this equipment, is grant‑funded and that the office has used similar systems in the past.

Board members questioned training and policy. Sheriff Shuster confirmed the vendor provides extensive training, and county staff said the cooperative contract title is broad but this purchase is specifically for an underwater drone; future related parts or component purchases would use the same coop contract if authorized.

The board approved the purchase; staff and the sheriff said grant funding covers the cost so the purchase would not require additional local taxation.

Next steps: The sheriff’s office will receive the equipment and the vendor will provide training before operational deployment. The board requested clarification of policies for aerial UAVs and privacy protections when the subject arose during public comment.