Dodge County officials say the county’s aging first responder radio network is sputtering at exactly the wrong moments, creating real safety risks for residents and the people sent to help them. Across the largely rural county, emergency crews report dropped transmissions, loud interference and dead zones where radios suddenly go quiet during active incidents. Leaders say the gaps have been a chronic headache that now appears to be getting worse.
Sheriff Flags Dangerous Holes In Emergency Communication
In a seven page letter to county leaders, Sheriff Dale Schmidt warned that outages and interference sometimes leave responders unable to hear dispatch or one another. As reported by FOX6 Milwaukee, Schmidt said, "They tend to happen at the worst times because we're in the middle of a critical incident, and we can't communicate and that puts public safety in jeopardy." He told the station that deputies have even resorted to holding radios up in the air to catch a signal during critical calls.
County Turns To Vendors And Committees For Answers
County schedules now feature a Mission Critical Communications Vendor Showcase along with a meeting of the Public Safety Radio Communications Committee, signs that officials are trying to gather options and technical advice in public view. Those events are listed on the Dodge County calendar, which links to meeting packets and live streams. County pages state that recordings and agendas are available so residents can keep up with how the discussions unfold.
Two Decades Old Gear And Parts Sourced On eBay
Sheriff Schmidt told FOX6 the system is more than 20 years old and that many of its components cannot be updated or easily swapped out. "If I need to purchase parts, it’s going to eBay to purchase parts many times," he said, describing towers that occasionally fail and stretches of the county where connection disappears. County leaders have brought in a consultant to gather data for a request for proposals, and officials told FOX6 that a full overhaul, including new towers, tower equipment and replacement radios, could take two to three years and would cost in the millions of dollars.
How Residents Can Watch The Fix Take Shape
County officials say the consultant’s report will guide procurement plans later this year and that upcoming budget votes will decide how the project advances. Residents who want a front row seat can track agendas, recordings and vendor events through the Dodge County meetings page and attend board or committee sessions when the capital proposal lands on the docket.
