Curt Fonger is the Radio Communications administrator for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. This new division was introduced and incorporated into the operational core of the Sheriff's Office to develop the communications infrastructure as well as to enhance the various voice radio communications systems that impact the daily operations of the department. This division also deals with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in securing proper licensing for our VHF operation, reviews all rules and regulations pertaining to radio communications.
Additionally, work is performed in concert with other county government units, specifically the radio communications division of Information Technology to address issues of radio compatibility which involves a channel plan to enhance communications throughout our four Regions of operations throughout Pinal County. These strategic planning sessions are a combined effort with the Support Services Acting Commander Lt. Kaye Dickson, the 9-1-1 Administrators Office headed up by Sandra Gilstad and the Information Technology Radio Communications Office led by Director Jay Vargo. Subsequently, planning and development of communication services for the Criminal Justice Complex, which encompass the Sheriff's Office, Adult Detention, Juvenile Detention as well as the Superior Court, affects communications at a county wide level.
The Sheriff's Communications Division also has charge of the Mobile Incident Communications Command vehicle. Another feature of this division is that many of the funds secured for communication upgrades and enhancements have been accomplished through grant writing. As a result, approximately $100,000 of new equipment has been installed and is in use in the Communications Command Vehicle as well as with the Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue teams and the Communications Center itself.
Involvement in the County Communications Consortium, Sheriff's Communications Committee, Pinal Mountain Radio Users Group, the Public Safety Communications Commission of Arizona (PSCC), the State Interoperability Executive Committee (SEIC) as well as the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) are just some of the organizations that this division is involved with.
Another responsibility of this division is to track new growth, gather statistical information to project the growth needs of the PCSO for narrow band usage of the new 700 MHZ systems that has been endorsed by the SEIC for use State wide in the near future so that ALL agencies will be linked together through a common frequency is another integral part of the long range planning for a strong infrastructure that will support the Pinal Sheriff's Office for years to come.