Arizona's investment in school safety communications systems yields underwhelming results

Arizona schools and law enforcement agencies have received tens of millions of dollars over the past six years to improve communications during emergencies, but state auditors found that much of that money has paid for underwhelming systems covering less than 20% of schools.

Lawmakers have allocated nearly $26 million dollars since 2019 to the School Safety Interoperability Fund, which was designed to help local sheriffs, police and schools purchase the equipment needed to better relay information back and forth during emergencies on school campuses.

According to state law, those systems should check several key boxes, including allowing for secure text messaging during an emergency and panic buttons that can establish a direct connection between schools and public safety agencies.

The Arizona Auditor General’s Office found that $25,970,000 has been allocated to 14 county sheriffs and local police departments. Those agencies have spent signed contracts valued at a total of nearly $21 million to set up systems and spent a total of about $13.6 million as of September.

The results of those investments have been mixed, according to the Auditor General’s report, which was released on Dec. 18.

“Agencies reported approximately 20% of traditional public and charter schools participate in an interoperable communication system purchased with Fund monies,” according to the report. “However, based on the limited functionality exhibited by many interoperable communication systems…the percentage of schools that are connected to a fully functioning system is likely much lower than the percentage of schools that reportedly participate.”

All agencies involved contracted with one of three vendors to set up their systems: Motorola Solutions, Mutualink or Navigate 360.

All three systems are capable of performing most of the functions required by state law, according to the report.

That includes allowing law enforcement to receive panic button alerts, view live security camera feeds, access school maps and determine an emergency’s location and who reported it.

But in practice, most are not checking every box.

For instance, only two agencies — the sheriff’s offices in Santa Cruz and Yavapai County — were able to show their systems could perform all five functions law enforcement officials consider most useful, according to the report.

Another four sheriff’s offices in Graham, Greenlee, Apache and Pinal counties were unable to demonstrate their systems could perform a single one of the five key functions.

Two other agencies, Tucson Police Department and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, did not build out systems at all.

Coconino County opted out of the program after finding the Flagstaff Police Department was better positioned to build out a communication system with local schools. However, the police department also declined the funds because it didn’t have the manpower to oversee the system and was concerned about ongoing costs.

Tucson PD initially contracted with Motorola Solutions to build out its system, but cancelled that contract last year after finding it wouldn’t meet schools’ needs.

Auditors found the roll out of the systems was hampered by a number of factors, including “unrealistic vendor representations regarding system performance and implementation timelines”.

“Specifically, connecting public safety agencies and schools to these systems has taken longer than many law enforcement agencies had anticipated, and some reported that their systems were not fully functional across participating schools and public safety agencies in the jurisdictions,” according to the report.

Auditors also found poor training and upkeep has contributed to the issue.

Beyond performance issues, the Auditor General found many agencies failed to comply with state law when contracting to build the systems and deciding which schools to partner with.

For instance, some contracts failed to include safeguards like performance standards or penalties if the contractual obligations weren’t met.

Auditors also found sheriffs in Apache, Navajo, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai counties connected private and tribal schools to their systems, which violates the law.