Persistent issues with radio reception and programming – leading to communication breakdowns during emergencies – was a topic of discussion during the recent Ray County 911 Board meeting. Ray County 911 Director Kim Davis pointed out a concerning issue with the communication radios, prompting a discussion among the board members. “An officer says that she does not have service,” said Davis. “We know what part of the problem is and this officer is complaining a lot about the portables not working well. Officers are getting too far away from their vehicles, so no, the radios won’t work because they are set up to run off the vehicle’s mobile radios. They need what the Highway Patrol has: repeaters in their cars and repeaters are expensive. The cheapest one is ballpark around $4,500 a piece and they go up to somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000 a piece.” There have been reports of continuing issues with radio reception and programming, which have led to communication breakdowns during…