Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, 911 Center roll out Starlink Initiative

UNION, WV (WVNS) – It was an exciting week for first responders in Monroe County as they boosted their signal.

On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, the county announced its new Star Link Initiative.

StarLink Minis, which are produced by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, will be placed on top of every sheriff’s deputy cruiser to provide the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department with perfect coverage across the entire county.

County Clerk Jeremy Meadows said he worked with Sheriff Miller and the director of the 911 center to come up with the idea.

“I purchased one for myself and thought ‘how can the county use this?’ So, I brought the idea up to them and the rest is being implemented right now,” Meadows told 59News.

The Starlink Mini connects to a satellite in space to provide service even in extremely remote, rural areas like parts of Monroe County.

It is also portable, which means if someone gets lost in the woods, the deputy can take it off their car and take it with them and still have service wherever they go.

The county used opioid settlement funds to purchase the devices, so purchasing the StarLink Minis did not cost the Monroe County taxpayers anything.

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