Elizabethton Police Department receives Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative grant
Published 4:49 pm Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Photo Contributed Pictured is a Flock model License Plate Reader
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CITY OF ELIZABETHTON PUBLIC INFORMATION
On Thursday, April 20, the City of Elizabethton Police Department announced it received a $149,999 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative (RVCRI) grant. The funding will support a two-year program to combat violent crime in our jurisdiction.
The department will be purchasing the following items of equipment to accomplish this goal:
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Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR)
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The ALPR system’s primary purposes are: 1) an investigative tool; and 2) a real-time alert system that compares license plates to state and national databases for stolen vehicles, AMBER Alerts, Silver Alerts, and vehicles listed on “hot list.” This system increases the possibility of officers being able to locate vehicles involved in various incidents/crimes.
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Enhance and otherwise improve the EPD’s Interview Rooms Recording Equipment
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To enhance our recording system for our three interview rooms located in our Criminal Investigations Division. Our goal with this equipment is to place our interview room’s recording system on the same system utilized by our in-car recording devices and provide the necessary storage space to ensure video footage is available when needed.
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3D Crime Scene Scanner
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The 3D laser scanning system will assist in crime scene documentation and reconstruction. This would allow our department to conduct crime scene measurements, document the crime scene, and provide a more accurate depiction of the overall crime and crash scene.
“We are very pleased and fortunate to have acquired this funding opportunity,” said Elizabethton Police Department Captain Elonza Perkins. “This will allow the Elizabethton Police Department to better serve the citizens of our community in our continued effort to provide a safe community.”
As violent crime continues to rise in many jurisdictions, rural communities are no exception. Rural law enforcement agencies, like ours, must address violent crime while also navigating other challenges, including personnel shortages, expansive geographic territory, and lack of access to necessary resources and medical treatment.
The RVCRI is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and administered by the National Policing Institute and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), with support from the Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association (SREELA). RVCRI provides funding and training and technical (TTA) assistance to rural law enforcement agencies seeking to reduce violent crime and address problems associated with violent crime.
Agencies may use funding and support to implement violent crime reduction strategies, improve investigations, enhance services to victims, increase collaboration between local stakeholders, and for other areas that support violent crime reduction in rural communities.
More information about the RVCRI can be found at www.RuralVCRI.org.
