January 5, 2024|
Photo – VPN Diagram for law enforcement – Bigfoot99 file photo
The town of Saratoga will have to foot the bill for a new secure communications system.
The Saratoga Police Department has had trouble finding dispatchers to handle emergency calls. Since Saratoga also dispatches for Encampment, a solution is needed. Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office to provide dispatchers to work in Saratoga.
To facilitate communications between Saratoga, Rawlins, and Encampment, the Saratoga Police Department requires a virtual private network gateway. The device enables secure communication between a police cruiser and the police department’s network. The VPN gateway will allow officers and sheriff’s deputies to share sensitive information, such as criminal records, while in the field.
At the November 21st Saratoga town council meeting, Chief Morris said the VPN gateway equipment will cost $19,145 to purchase and install. The police chief said he and Sheriff Alex Bakken were in talks to split the cost of the equipment.
Fast forward to Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Chief Morris said the sheriff’s office will not be helping pay for the VPN gateway. The police chief said he is reviewing his budget to find a way for his department to cover the entire purchase price.
Chief Morris said the town is required to provide dispatching services to Encampment. If the Saratoga dispatch center were to go offline for any reason, the police chief said his department would not have any way to fulfill that obligation. Chief Morris said the price is high, but the VPN gateway is necessary.
Chief Morris said he may be able to find the money to purchase the VPN gateway. The police chief said he did not use his entire budget on other equipment.
Chief Morris said he’ll go through his department’s budget to find exactly how much money he can put toward the VPN gateway this year. The police chief said he’ll present his findings at the January 16th Saratoga town council meeting.
