Area law enforcement officers sometimes enter dead radio zones near Mancos and along the upper Dolores River.
To alleviate the problem, Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane informed city officials last summer that an essential upgrade was needed. This month, council members gave Lane and the Cortez Communications Center the green light to apply for a matching grant from the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Program.
"We've tried portable everything to service over there but we can't do that," said Lane. "We're trying to partner with everyone in the world to get the costs down; I'm not asking for money, just your good name for the grant."
Administered by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the grant program requires a 50/50 match. Local and state agencies have agreed to help meet the match with in-kind services, including a building to house equipment and a new generator.
If approved, the grant would enable local officials to install a new digital radio system on a Southwest Colorado Television Association tower atop Caviness Mountain. The new equipment would increase radio coverage and signal strength, enhancing the ability of officers to call for help and be heard when needed, said Cortez police spokesperson Lori Johnson.
"Communication towers are extremely expensive investments; however, no price can be placed on officer safety," said Johnson.
Current dead spots are located across eastern portions of Montezuma County, including Mancos, County Road G west of Cortez, the Dolores River Valley and even in-building coverage inside Cortez city limits.
According to Lane, the current Dolores tower is impacted the most during inclement weather, and the tower atop Sleeping Ute is struck by lightning about four times a year.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com