KCSO announces construction of new communications tower

SAN ANGELO, Texas ( Concho Valley Homepage )—The Kimble County Sheriff’s Office has announced that construction has begun on a new, 309-foot-tall communications tower that will, upon completion, serve the entirety of the county.

According to KCSO , work began on the tower at the top of Lover’s Leap on the morning of June 18. Kimble County Sheriff Allen Castleberry stated that construction is expected to be completed within the coming few days, and enhanced operations will come online within the week. The tower will “significantly upgrade communication and reach for law enforcement operations, fire department and emergency medical services for Kimble County.”

“This new tower will enable our officers to communicate with dispatch from anywhere in Kimble County,” Castleberry said. “This will also improve our ability to stay in contact with all agencies within Texas. This added level of security will be a real benefit to the people of Kimble County for their health, safety and protection.”

The construction project comes after the previous tower fell during a major ice storm that blew through the region on February 22, 2021. KCSO called the tower’s destruction a “major loss to Kimble County emergency communications infrastructure.”

Castleberry made replacing the tower one of his campaign promises, working alongside the Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Communications Commission to locate a site to build the new tower on. Castleberry also helped identify a funding source that was able to cover 100% of the project’s expenses.

The tower was planned over 12 months, and the Texas Department of Public Safety supported it by assisting with frequency measurement to ensure an optimal outcome. The construction is funded by a grant issued by the Office of the Governor and the Concho Valley Council of Governments. Hill Country Telephone Cooperative will also continuously support the tower, providing “direct all access to the tower and the internet,” as per KCSO.

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