WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Reycita Billie, a 15-year public safety communications professional, named to Task Force

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Reycita Billie, a 15-year public safety communications professional, named to Task Force

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

Originally Published: July 6, 2021 9:16 a.m.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Reycita Billie, a 15-year public safety communications professional, was named to the New Mexico Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Task Force June 30.

During the course of her career, Billie has served in the Crownpoint Police District and was, after 13 years, promoted to the Navajo Police Headquarters to serve as the Criminal Information System Specialist.

Billie has coordinated the use of the national criminal justice information system and is the Navajo Nation’s liaison with Arizona’s criminal justice networks. She has also been a key member of the Navajo Division of Public Safety’s pilot E 9-1-1 rollout and was selected as the Nation’s first Public Safety Answering Point Supervisor.She is an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Communications Center Supervisor and the first-ever Public Safety Telecommunicator Instructor for the Navajo Police Department…

State offers grants to police for body cameras; most South Shore departments still without (MA)

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

The state is offering $20 million to police departments to buy body cameras and associated equipment, and smaller police departments will be allowed to band together and submit regional solutions by the end of next month to get one of the first chunks of funding. The state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security is offering $20 million over the next five years for the purchase of 9,000 body cameras for police officers, spokesman Tim McGuirk said in a news release.

Police departments with fewer than 50 officers “may collaborate” and submit an application with regional partners. Grants are capped at $250,000 and are just for hardware. Departments must adopt policies and procedures before applying.

Quigley said Cohasset is part of the South Shore Regional Emergency Communication Center, along with Hingham, Hull and Norwell, and he will be asking those police chiefs if they have any interest in submitting a joint application…

Beltrami County Communications Officers now certified in Telephone CPR (MN)

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

BEMIDJI — All Beltrami County Communications Officers are now trained and certified in Telephone CPR, or TCPR, enhancing their instruction prior to the arrival of first responders and medical services.

According to a release, the training provided the skills to rapidly detect the need for CPR and how to instruct citizens in performing CPR.

Legislation in 2019 required Minnesota Public Safety Answering Points, or 911 centers, to establish a protocol by July 1, 2021, to provide a minimum level of instruction for CPR when callers who are not trained in CPR are reporting an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest…

Meijer’s bipartisan bill addresses mental health needs of 9-1-1 professionals

Meijer’s bipartisan bill addresses mental health needs of 9-1-1 professionals

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

America’s 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers would receive health and wellness services under bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI).

“Emergency dispatchers selflessly serve their communities and are often confronted with stressful and tragic situations where they are the first line of assistance for those in need of help,” said Rep. Meijer. “Just as they work every day to keep us safe during these challenging circumstances, we need to ensure that they too are receiving the help and resources they need.”

Rep. Meijer on July 1 signed on as an original cosponsor of the Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma (PROTECT) 911 Act, H.R. 4319 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) and fellow cosponsor U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)…

Bringing broadband communication to tribes (MN)

Bringing broadband communication to tribes (MN)

by | Jul 6, 2021 | Comm Center News

Turtle Island Communications workers lay fiber cables on reservation lands. (Photo courtesy of Turtle Island Communications.)

By Lee Egerstrom

Business journals and mainstream media all across America are focusing attention on what many call “the new normal” post-pandemic way of working. Questions arise over how many people currently working from home or other remote locations will actually go back to offices or continue to work off campus using modern technology.

For Madonna Peltier Yawakie and her husband Melvin (Mel) Yawakie, it is practically a meaningless question. But it does strengthen public awareness of the important work their Turtle Island Communications Inc. company does in Indian Country…