NCJ Number
182255
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2000 Pages: 68-72
Editor(s)
Ronnie Paynter
Date Published
2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Many police departments are finding that sharing equipment and pooling resources gives them access to equipment they would not have otherwise.
Abstract
Equipment and service sharing can make a significant difference in police investigations. For example, a police department in Texas took advantage of the license plate reading system used by U.S. Customs to scan the tags of cars crossing the border. The information is run through a database of stolen and flagged license numbers, and cars that come up with a hit are stopped at the checkpoint. U.S. Customs also has gamma ray equipment that can be used to inspect the inside of vehicles or cargo containers without having to unload them. Other equipment that police departments occasionally use includes personal watercraft and all-terrain vehicles. These vehicles can often be obtained on loan rather than actually purchasing them, and borrowing and sharing equipment can stretch thin police budgets. Borrowing is also a good strategy for forensic photographers in that camera companies will lend replacement equipment. Another option for borrowing camera and video equipment and electronic surveillance devices involves the Regional Intelligence Sharing System (RISS). The RISS program is funded by the Department of Justice to provide equipment and analytical support to law enforcement. Examples are cited of how police departments can borrow and cooperatively purchase equipment in a cost-effective way. 2 photographs