Published: July 03, 2009 09:26 pm      

Call for new radios gets a big 10-4

He may be the official spokesman for the Hays County Sheriff’s Department, but even Sgt. Leroy Opiela isn’t quite sure where the second hand radios corrections officers have been using for nearly a decade came from.

But he, and the rest of the county force, know other things about them — for one, they won’t work within the jail.

But help could be soon on the way, as the office of Congressman Lloyd Doggett announced funding of $40,000 to pay for new radios, a move expected to not only improve communications but allow jailers to respond more quickly should problems occur.

“Effective law enforcement is the key to maintaining a safe community.

“Equipping our local law enforcement officers with the latest tools they need to be successful is the key to helping these brave men and women achieve their mission,” Doggett said. “This funding will replace outdated, inadequate equipment to ensure more effective communication and the safety of dedicated deputies.”

Sheriff Tommy Ratliff welcomed the news of the federal funding. “We appreciate Congressman Doggett’s leadership in supporting Hays County,” he said. ”We desperately needed to replace these radios, which the County acquired as hand-me-downs eight years ago and are now probably 20 years old.”

Ratliff said the radios will “ensure the safety of the community, our jail personnel and the inmates, by allowing the jailers and officers to communicate effectively and to respond quickly to incidents requiring timely action.”

Doggett’s office also said he is working with the HCSO to secure funding for more patrol deputies.