Smithfield police awarded $100K state grant for new technology – Smithfield Times
The Smithfield Police Department plans to purchase new technology to boost its crime-fighting capabilities using funds from a state grant.
The Town Council voted unanimously on Feb. 3 to accept and appropriate a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
The state informed Town Manager Michael Stallings on Dec. 31 that Smithfield had been awarded the grant under DCJS’s Operation Ceasefire Forensics and Analytical Technology program.
The Operation Ceasefire grant program was created by the General Assembly in 2022 to fund efforts by law enforcement agencies and nonprofits aimed at breaking local cycles of violent crime across the state, according to the DCJS website.
“It requires no match from the town,” Stallings said. “The grant is to be used for investigative equipment.”
Documentation included with the town’s grant award lists four pieces of technology the Police Department intends to purchase with the funding.
The most costly is a portable forensic imaging system, known as a ForenScope Super Spectral, for $59,579 to locate and document evidence often not visible under normal lighting. It uses ultraviolet and infrared light to detect and capture evidence such as fingerprints, gunshot residue, blood and other bodily fluids, bruising, trace materials and security features on currency.
The grant will also fund a $23,952 Skydio X10 public safety drone used to document and map scenes and search for evidence in areas that may be unsafe or difficult for personnel to access. It includes a high-resolution camera, thermal imaging and crime scene reconstruction and search capabilities, as well as autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance.
It will also fund a $9,885 Micro Ring Light, a specialized accessory for the ForenScope that improves examination of small objects and curved surfaces by using advanced infrared illumination to help reveal trace evidence such as gunshot residue, fibers, stains, bruising and other indicators that might not be visible through traditional lighting. The accessory aims to expand the department’s ability to conduct non-destructive evidence enhancement both in the field and in the lab.
The final device funded by the grant is a 30-inch fuming chamber for $6,584. This piece of laboratory equipment is intended to develop latent fingerprints on evidence items. According to the documentation, the chamber creates a controlled environment that allows cyanoacrylate vapor to bond with fingerprint residue, producing clear ridge detail for documentation and comparison. It’s intended to enhance reliability for processing evidence such as firearms, cartridge casings, packaging tools and electronic devices.
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The Town Council voted unanimously on Feb. 3 to accept and appropriate a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
The state informed Town Manager Michael Stallings on Dec. 31 that Smithfield had been awarded the grant under DCJS’s Operation Ceasefire Forensics and Analytical Technology program.
The Operation Ceasefire grant program was created by the General Assembly in 2022 to fund efforts by law enforcement agencies and nonprofits aimed at breaking local cycles of violent crime across the state, according to the DCJS website.
“It requires no match from the town,” Stallings said. “The grant is to be used for investigative equipment.”
Documentation included with the town’s grant award lists four pieces of technology the Police Department intends to purchase with the funding.
The most costly is a portable forensic imaging system, known as a ForenScope Super Spectral, for $59,579 to locate and document evidence often not visible under normal lighting. It uses ultraviolet and infrared light to detect and capture evidence such as fingerprints, gunshot residue, blood and other bodily fluids, bruising, trace materials and security features on currency.
The grant will also fund a $23,952 Skydio X10 public safety drone used to document and map scenes and search for evidence in areas that may be unsafe or difficult for personnel to access. It includes a high-resolution camera, thermal imaging and crime scene reconstruction and search capabilities, as well as autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance.
It will also fund a $9,885 Micro Ring Light, a specialized accessory for the ForenScope that improves examination of small objects and curved surfaces by using advanced infrared illumination to help reveal trace evidence such as gunshot residue, fibers, stains, bruising and other indicators that might not be visible through traditional lighting. The accessory aims to expand the department’s ability to conduct non-destructive evidence enhancement both in the field and in the lab.
The final device funded by the grant is a 30-inch fuming chamber for $6,584. This piece of laboratory equipment is intended to develop latent fingerprints on evidence items. According to the documentation, the chamber creates a controlled environment that allows cyanoacrylate vapor to bond with fingerprint residue, producing clear ridge detail for documentation and comparison. It’s intended to enhance reliability for processing evidence such as firearms, cartridge casings, packaging tools and electronic devices.
source
This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
