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County approves $18,000 to upgrade sheriff handheld radios for encrypted interoperability
Summary
The commission approved a one-time $18,000 LATCF expenditure to update 33 sheriff's office handheld radios for encrypted channels so deputies can communicate with neighboring agencies after planned dispatch and encryption changes.
The Box Elder County Commission on Thursday approved a one-time $18,000 expenditure from the LATCF fund to update handheld radios for the sheriff's office so deputies can use encrypted channels with neighboring agencies.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Kate Palmer told commissioners that neighboring agencies are moving to encrypted radio channels and the county’s handheld radios are not currently capable of encryption. “I’m coming and asking for approximately $18,000 to upfit our radios so that they can do the encrypted channels,” Palmer said, adding the update would cover an initial 33 handheld radios at about $500 per radio and that in the near term up to 60 additional radios may need similar work. Palmer said in-car radios were already future-proofed and would not require immediate work.
Commissioner Perry moved for approval and the motion was seconded; the commission approved the expenditure by voice vote. The appropriation is intended to maintain interoperability with nearby jurisdictions, which county staff said is critical for officer safety and mutual aid when neighboring agencies migrate their systems.
