MOPD receives new technology, including in-car cameras
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on October 28, 2009 1:46 PM
The Mount Olive Police Department went shopping last week for new pieces of technical equipment that will hopefully help officers keep the public, and themselves, safe while they are on the job.
The department installed Monday two new office computers and also received one new laptop computer for officer use. The computers the department replaced were outdated and a few were very old, according to officials.
Town Manager Charles Brown went along on the shopping trip with Chief of Police Ralph Schroeder and Maj. Brian Rhodes to examine possible options for purchasing more equipment.
"We actually went to Clinton to look at some in-car video equipment," Brown said. "There were several options to look at."
The police department currently has two in-car video systems, not enough for all the town's patrol cars. A grant provided a way for the town to equip more of the systems even in an economically difficult year, Brown said.
"We need more in-car video equipment than we can afford to buy," he said.
Department officials are still considering which pieces of equipment to purchase, and will likely place an order in the near future, Brown said.
The money for the new computers and equipment came from a Justice Assistance Grant of more than $30,000. The grant is part of the Economic Recovery Act federal stimulus package funding, but the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program also operates annual assistance grant programs.
Rhodes said he learned about the grant money through a memorandum from the Department of Justice. Rhodes often pursues grants for the Police Department and earlier this year found funding that helped to pay for 16 new .40-caliber Glocks to replace the officers' previous weapons, 20-year-old 9 mm Berettas.