Full Notification

On August 25, 2021, the Morgan Hill Police Department was contacted by representatives from Santa Clara County Emergency Communications and were informed of an electronic jamming device, which was “disrupting, impeding and interfering with the transmission of communications over the Santa Clara County public safety radio frequency.”
 
Santa Clara County Emergency Communications utilized sophisticated radio frequency testing equipment and determined the signal jamming equipment was located at a Llagas Road/Christeph Drive neighborhood residence.  
 
The severity of the signal jamming in the area resulted in the loss of Wi-Fi, satellite signal, and cellular signals, as well as a Santa Clara County radio communication tower located nearby, to become completely disabled.  Santa Clara County Emergency Communications representatives advised that the interference impacted all South Santa Clara County emergency radio operations, including Morgan Hill Police, Morgan Hill Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Santa Clara County Sheriff, Gilroy Police, Gilroy Fire, CalFire, and possibly other agencies. The signal could be lost entirely without any warning or notice.
 
A search warrant was authored and later granted for the residence.  During a search of the residence, officers located two large jamming devices.  While inside the residence, officers noted that their police radios and cellular phones were inoperable.  Santa Clara County Emergency Communications technicians immediately disabled the jamming device, at which point the police radios and cellular phones became operable.
 
This investigation is ongoing, and anyone that may have information regarding this incident or experienced any of the issues described above is encouraged to contact Sgt. Scott Purvis at (669) 253-4912 or email at [email protected].