The funds will be used to purchase night vision monoculars, which Sheriff Jim Driscoll said would make a difference in the world.

“This is something we’ve needed for a long time: the ability to see in the dark,” says Driscoll.

Handheld monoculars are most often used by search and rescue personnel. The funds will allow the department to purchase two of her units.

In explaining why the two units have a positive impact on the county, the sheriff referred to recent rescues in the Sedona area.

A 25-year-old hiker slipped while attempting to climb the Queen Victoria Spire off Schnebly Hill Road. Her feet were trapped in a rocky chasm where she was more than 100 feet from the ground. According to Driscoll, rescuers used her Dawn detergent to free the hikers from the rocks. In the end, she was airlifted safely. The entire rescue took place in the dark.

“We had headlamps,” Driscoll said. It makes everything there look like sunlight. ”

He explained that search and rescue teams on the ground could have used monoculars to monitor stranded climbers from a distance and provide information to teams in the air. also said that monoculars could help recover missing persons.

“Over the years, we’ve applied for and received millions of dollars in funding from the Department of Homeland Security, primarily for communications system upgrades,” says Driscoll.

In this case, upgraded equipment would also be the end goal.

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved grant payments for monocular purchases on Wednesday. It also approved adjustments to the CCSO budget. $2,500 was raised from RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) funding. Money, mostly confiscated from drug dealers, is being used for anti-drug education in the county, Driscoll said.