Sandoval County 9-1-1 Transition Faces Technical and Staffing Challenges

Sandoval County moved 9-1-1 and related dispatch responsibilities from the City of Rio Rancho to its newly declared Public Safety Emergency Communications Center (PSECC) on Jan. 8, 2026. County leaders have said the center is operational and handling calls, but officials and several municipal police chiefs reported ongoing technical and staffing problems that have complicated the transfer and day-to-day operations.

Chiefs and city officials described problems with transferring warrants and NCIC records to the county system, programming dispatcher consoles to match field operations, and completing necessary staffing and training. Those issues have delayed full interoperability between the county center and existing Rio Rancho systems and created tensions over timelines and data access. City officials and some chiefs pushed back on aspects of the schedule and the completeness of data transfers as implementation proceeded.

The most immediate operational challenges identified include the migration of NCIC entries and warrant information essential for officer safety and accurate checks, the configuration of dispatch consoles so that calls and officer status feed correctly to patrol units, and staffing levels while newer dispatchers complete system certification and training. County officials have described the PSECC as taking calls and working through these implementation problems, while municipal leaders emphasized the need for patience as staff finalize training and system configuration.

For Sandoval County residents, the transition changes which agency answers 9-1-1 calls and routes emergency dispatches. Officials say emergency calls are being answered but acknowledge that some backend functions remain in flux. Residents should expect normal 9-1-1 access, though coordination between the county and municipal departments will continue to be refined in the coming days and weeks.

The dispute highlights broader governance and technical hurdles that can accompany intergovernmental transfers of public-safety services. Completing NCIC record transfers, finishing console programming and finishing training are the critical next steps named by both county and municipal leaders to reach full operational parity. Effective coordination between Sandoval County and the City of Rio Rancho will be essential to stabilize dispatch operations and restore full data-sharing capabilities that officers rely on every shift.