San Benito County Sheriff’s Office communications upgrades stalled for 8 months, new report finds

SAN BENITO COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) - San Benito County Civil Grand Jury's newest report finds that the communications systems for the county's Sheriff's Office require an upgrade.

According to the Civil Grand Jury, an authorization of the California Radio Interoperability System has been stalled for the past eight months at the county's legal counsel.

Findings show that the implementation of the systems has been under review for that timeframe, with the Civil Grand Jury unable to identify a reason for the delay.

The report states that "a reliable communication system is especially crucial for the SBC Sheriff’s Office. Given its rural and disproportionately large jurisdiction, combined with limited staff, timely communication is a lifeline."

The report goes on to add that the current radio system has dead zones that present an obvious community safety risk.

The Civil Grand Jury is recommending that the legal counsel expedite its review and communicate with local stakeholders within the next 30 days.