Logan County gets new $262K emergency radios to improve safety

Many Logan County first responders will get new emergency radios after years of spotty reception that left officers unable to communicate with dispatchers at times.

The county received a $262,000 grant for new radios from the Ohio Development Services Agency. More than 100 radios will be purchased with the grant and will be distributed to the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Bellefontaine Police Department, Bellefontaine Fire Department, Russells Point Police, Washington Twp. Police, West Liberty Police and DeGraff Police.

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“For whatever reason our officers were not able to get back to dispatch,” Logan County Sheriff Randy Dodds said. “If they’ve got an emergency and they’re trying to call for help, all we get is static.”

It’s happened to Logan County Deputy Chris Prickett, who said the radio is a lifeline.

“There are many dead spots throughout the county,” he said, “and there’s nothing worse then hitting that radio and not getting out when you’re in a situation.”

In that situation, he said deputies have to hope that backup is on the way.

“I can think of several times throughout my career where I’ve been in areas where I key the mic and there’s nothing on the other end and that obviously is very concerning,” Prickett said.

The new MARCS radio system will be much more reliable, Dodds said, and allow for the county to easily communicate with other law enforcement agencies statewide.

“This MARCS system is just a far better system, better quality,” Dodds said.

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That will mean a better response during a crisis, he said, like a school shooting situation. It will also help with patrols at events, he said, like the July 4 event at Indian Lake.

“It just makes the job easier,” he said.

The new radios will improve safety throughout the county, Prickett said.

“That’s going to be outstanding for all of our deputies on the road to know that when you key that mic that there’s somebody on the other end of that mic,” he said.

Each department will have a small match required for the grant depending on the amount of radios they’ll receive, he said.

Dodds expects law enforcement agencies to receive the new radios in a few months.

The sheriff’s office also received a more than $200,000 grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency for a new online reports management system, Dodds said, because its old system was discontinued.

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