By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office (VVCSO) and Val Verde County Commissioners Court
donated a vehicle to the local public school district.
San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District (SFDR-CISD) Chief of Police Jose
Faz gave a presentation at the regular school board meeting on Monday about a 2010 Ford
E450 van being donated to the district by the sheriff’s office and the county.
Faz said the van is a “mobile command vehicle” with 3,620 miles on its odometer and is
equipped with six police digital radios. He said the vehicle is also equipped with one radio built
for analog channels and another radio with an ultra-high frequency (UHF) system.
Faz gave more details about the vehicle, adding it is designed to
Department (VVCSD) Chief Deputy Joe Ortiz, School Board President Raymond P. Meza and
School Board Vice President Joshua Overfelt pose for a picture with a certificate of appreciation
to VVCSO Joe Frank Martinez for his dedication and commitment to the San Felipe Del Rio
Consolidated Independent School District. The sheriff’s office and county donated a 2010 Ford
E450 van to help with safety and protection during school-related events. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
be “outfitted for providing
internet access.” He said the van also has an onboard generator and an external camera,
which can be extended 44 feet above the vehicle.
“The vehicle will act as a centralized hub for command and control, bringing together key
personnel. It will help coordinate security personnel, traffic control and other emergency
services all from one location,” Faz said.
“This (vehicle) will help streamline decision-making and improve overall efficiency, especially
during critical instances like active-shooter events, hostage situations or natural disasters,” Faz
added.
Faz said the vehicle can be equipped with a range of specialized equipment, including video
surveillance and data-analyzing tools. He said the van will be outfitted for real-time monitoring of
campus security cameras and can be used to analyze event conditions such as approaching
hazardous weather conditions during school-related activities.
“(The van) will act as an extension of the police station, ensuring that necessary resources,
communication and leadership are available wherever and whenever they are needed,” Faz
said.
VVCSO Chief Deputy Joe Ortiz was in attendance and spoke on behalf of VVCSO Sheriff Joe
Frank Martinez, saying it was an honor for the sheriff’s office and the county to donate the
vehicle to the school district.
“The beauty of this is that it was originally purchased out of juvenile justice grants, so what
better way than for it ending up with the school district where there are a lot of juveniles you all
have the responsibility for keeping safe,” Ortiz said. “I look forward to seeing new signs on it that
say SFDRCISD Police Department.”
Joshua Overfelt, vice president of the school board, thanked Martinez and said the district has a
great partnership with VVCSO. Raymond P. Meza, president of the school board, said the board
welcomes all donations and said the vehicle is an important donation.
“Every time we have large crowds, we want to make sure communication is there, and
especially when we have a camera that (can extend out) 44 feet in the air, I think it’ll help us
quite a bit . . . Thank you, and we are always grateful for the assistance of the sheriff’s office,”
Meza said.
