Wyden, Merkley, Hoyle, Salinas: Communities in Oregon to Receive Much Needed Funding for Law Enforcement Technology

Benton, Lake, Marion counties and Medford to receive a combined $5.6 million in DOJ funding

Washington D.C.-U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas and Val Hoyle, today announced crucial federal investments for technology to support local law enforcement-including emergency response and crime prevention-in Benton, Lake and Marion counties, and the city of Medford.

"Communities throughout Oregon simply must have the modern tools required to prevent and fight crime in a modern world," Wyden said. "I'm gratified this investment will help build safer communities for Oregonians in rural and urban areas across the state."

"As I hold a town hall in each of Oregon's 36 counties every year, I hear firsthand from folks about what matters most to them, including robustly supporting public safety efforts that keep Oregonians safe during disasters like wildfires and floods," said Merkley, who secured funding for these community-initiated projects as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "These federal investments to modernize emergency radio and alert systems in our communities will help local agencies perform at their best during the worst conditions to help save lives."

"As the daughter of a retired police officer, I am committed to delivering the funding and resources that our local law enforcement needs to do their jobs and keep us safe," said Rep. Salinas. "That is why I am excited to announce this $1.8 million grant for Marion County, which will be used to upgrade police equipment and communications. Ultimately, this funding will help prevent crime, improve emergency response times, and make our community safer for everyone."

"One of my top priorities is helping law enforcement and emergency personnel replace outdated communications systems that fail to get critical messages across our Coastal or Cascade ranges," said Rep. Hoyle. "I am proud to have helped secure this critical funding for Benton County's first responders. These investments will greatly improve communication and emergency response times, particularly in rural areas. I'm grateful for the continued partnership of Senators Wyden and Merkley in prioritizing the safety of Oregonians."

The funding, from the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services Technology and Equipment Program, will give Benton County ($963,000), Lake County ($2 million); Marion County ($1.8 million) and Medford ($880,000) resources needed to acquire effective equipment, technologies, and interoperable communications that assist in responding to and preventing crime.

"Thank you to Senators Merkley and Wyden and Representative Hoyle for supporting Benton County's First Responder Radio Infrastructure Improvement plan. The requested funding, proposed by Representative Hoyle, would be used by Benton County, Oregon to install an antenna and purchase radios necessary to improve public safety and emergency response for Benton County First Responders. A 2022 Radio Infrastructure Assessment and Improvement Plan revealed a significant challenge with Benton County's radio communications is the lack of interoperability and situational awareness caused by law enforcement and Fire/EMS when utilizing different radio systems. Furthermore, many parts of the rural county have "dead-zones" in which no radio communications are available. Radio infrastructure, as well as handheld and mobile radios, are also in various states of degradation and need updating. This Federal funding would support a 700MHz antenna to be installed on an existing tower and the purchase of radios to eliminate "dead-zones" in the first phase to achieve interoperability between first responders," said Benton County Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall.

"Radio communications for our Sheriff's Department and Emergency Dispatch System for the County has been an issue for many years. With the help of Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden, Lake County can now upgrade our communications system and improve the quality of service that is desperately needed. We really appreciate both Senators supporting these infrastructure upgrades," said Barry Shullanberger, Chair of the Lake County Board of Commissioners.

"I'm grateful for these funds and the impact they will have on the members of our communities who suffered so tragically during the 2020 wildfires," said Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell. "Investments like this go a long way to establish peace of mind for residents who have encountered such trauma."

"The City of Medford is thrilled with this news. This funding will allow us to acquire a Mobile Incident Command Center, which will provide a central hub for coordinating emergency response and significantly enhance regional resiliency among the City and our partners throughout the Rogue Valley," said Mayor Randy Sparacino. "Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden understand the need for such a regional asset which will enhance response to future events by providing a unified command structure, coordination of resources, radio interoperability, and a protected location for personnel and equipment. Their support of our financial assistance request to help replace our outdated and undersized vehicle will help first responders in our region be better prepared to address wildfires, hazardous material emergencies, and other public safety incidents often requiring multi-agency response."

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