DoIT News:
SANTA FE — When gunshots rang out in Santa Fe County on Aug. 11, four separate law enforcement teams coordinated seamlessly through the New Mexico Department of Information Technology’s statewide radio network, successfully resolving a dangerous incident in an area where communication failures once plagued emergency responders.
The swift response showcased how the New Mexico Department of Information Technology’s (DoIT) Digital Trunked Radio System has transformed public safety operations across New Mexico, eliminating the communication dead zones that historically hampered emergency response in remote areas.
“Effective and hardened radio systems help keep first responders safe and connected,” DoIT Cabinet Secretary Manny Barreras said. “Public safety radio serves as the pulse of every emergency response. When New Mexicans face their darkest moments, our first responders must be able to communicate, coordinate, and save lives without technological barriers standing in their way.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office activated SWAT, Criminal Investigations Bureau, and patrol units to respond to the shooting that occurred just after 7 p.m. Using DoIT’s network—which now connects 78 agencies statewide—the department assigned four dedicated channels for incident management, enabling clear coordination without the radio interference that plagued their previous two-channel legacy system.
Major Gabriel Gonzales monitored the entire operation from Rio Rancho using his handheld radio, keeping Sheriff Adan Mendoza and Undersheriff Ken Johnson informed while they were out of town—coordination that would have been impossible just years ago.
“The radio communication was great; our agency has had challenges in the past with this area of Highway 14 maintaining communications with Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC) and each other,” Major Gonzales said. “We also only had two channels in the past to utilize, this created staff and RECC walking on each other’s radio transmissions. On a regular basis on our old legacy system, RECC would have to request a repeat of the last transmission. This was not the case with this incident.”
The August 11 response demonstrated the system’s capabilities in real-world conditions. The Sheriff’s Office utilized separate channels for on-scene patrol deputies, criminal investigators, the SWAT team, and graveyard shift personnel—allowing supervisors to manage resources effectively without communication conflicts.
DoIT’s radio system has proven essential in New Mexico’s challenging terrain, where cellular service fails and lives often hang in the balance. The network enables secure, cross-jurisdictional communication even in the state’s most remote areas, connecting law enforcement, fire departments, search and rescue teams, and emergency dispatchers across state, tribal, and federal agencies.
The department continues expanding the network with game-changing updates on the horizon. Mobile radio access through Motorola’s WAVE Push-to-Talk app, arriving in early 2026, will allow users to access radio channels via smartphones over LTE or Wi-Fi, extending reach even further into previously unreachable areas.
As extreme weather events and emergency situations become increasingly complex, DoIT’s investment in cutting-edge communication technology positions New Mexico as a model for coordinated emergency response that saves lives when seconds matter most.
For more information about the Digital Trunked Radio System and how it connects state agencies, local law enforcement and fire departments, contact the DoIT helpline at 505.827.2020, web: www.doit.nm.gov.