The communications shop is responsible for support and maintenance of vehicle mounted computers, radios and cellular phones. This includes programming, diagnosing, user training, testing new equipment, warranty returns, maintaining spare parts inventory, inventory control and acquisition. We work in conjunction with Sheriff’s Office Vehicle Maintenance unit, Sheriff’s Office IT unit, Deschutes County IT dept., Radio & IT technicians with local law enforcement agencies and Radio & IT technicians located at DC911.

​

80 Mobile Data Tablets to Access Data, ‘MDTs’

These are ruggedized computers manufactured to be installed in a moving vehicle. A wireless connection to county servers is accomplished via a broadband LTE modem. A secure connection is established with a leading manufactures Virtual Private Network, ‘VPN’. Law Enforcement personnel are able to access the same applications & data in their vehicles as they do in the office, most anywhere in the county. Applications include Computer Aided Dispatch, ‘CAD’, Records Management Systems, ‘RMS’, Law Enforcement Data Systems, ‘LEDS’ access and many other specialty applications.

290 Portable Radios That the Sheriff’s Office Personnel Carry with Them On the Go 

This equipment consists of public safety grade portable radios. We use both single band and multi band options depending on the role the radio is assigned. Our newer radios have built in GPS to relay LONG/LAT info, encryption, multiple microphones with sophisticated noise cancelling technology and a longer battery life.

191 Mobile Radios Installed in Vehicles

This equipment consists of public safety grade mobile radios. This radio is mounted in our patrol vehicles, Search and Rescue vehicles, Marine units, ATV units and Incident Command vehicles. We have single band in 700/800 range, single band in the VHF range and many dual band units that utilize both frequency ranges. This radio combined with a high quality roof mounted antenna can reach out to the DC911 radio towers located throughout Deschutes County.

120 Cellular Phones

We use three styles of cell phones depending on the needs of our law enforcement personnel. One is a basic services ‘flip phone’ that is assigned to patrol vehicles for use when the deputy needs to use the phone inside & outside of the vehicle. This phone is paired with a hands free device to be used while traveling. This phone compliments the deputy’s smart phone. The second style of phone is a variety of smart phone devices. With built in cameras, internet access, access to county email system and countless applications to assist in day to day tasks.

The third style of phone is a high wattage wired phone to assure our personnel can communicate when needed, this is generally assigned to Search and Rescue vehicles. Cellular phones are used for many applications and their usefulness isn’t slowing down.