B.M.P.D. Equipment Page
Our issued sidearm is the Glock Model 22, Semi-automatic
pistol. It fires S&W .40 caliber ammunition, and holds 15 rounds
in the magazine, plus one more in the chamber. No one in our
Department will try to tell you that it is the best gun that you
can buy, but we have found it to be durable, reliable, and
a very good gun for the money.
Our Police Department makes use of Jeep Cherokees for our
fleet of vehicles. Four wheel drive is a necessity for us, due to
both the snow, and the fact that we have at least 60 miles of
gravel roads in our Town. The Cherokees have provided good service,
and seem to hold up well under the daily stresses of Police work.
Our Department uses Motorola products for its communications
needs. The Police Officers use the Radius GP 300 as the issued
"walkie". Sixteen channel Motorola radios are used in the patrol vehicles.
Our Communications Center also makes use of a Motorola Dispatch Console.
Our department makes use of several different computer
systems throughout its daily operation. Our Dispatch office uses
an Enhanced 911 computer system, with the optional Computer Aided
Dispatch capability. Dispatch also uses a DCI/NCIC computer, for
the purpose of checking Tags, License Numbers, Criminal Histories, etc.
In addition to these, our department makes use of a networked
system of PC's that are used for departmental records, Incident,
Accident and Arrest reports. Our Police Pak program, which allows
this recordkeeping, is provided by Southern Software. One very
helpful function we have found is that by adding a Video Camera
and Snappy Video Capture Device, that we are able to make very
quick mug shots while we do the arrest report. It is a simple
matter of making a click for the frontal image, then having the
arrestee turn to the side, and making a second click for the
profile shot. The images can then be printed out, if a hard copy
is needed. A laser printer does this nicely. The Police Pak software
has the option of automatically generating photo lineups from the
information in the arrest reports and the pictures that have been
stored with them. Another useful shortcut we have found is that
by having a suspect hold his fingers in front of the video camera,
and capturing a photo image of his print, we are then able to
enlarge and examine the print on the computer. It is possible to
get images both clear and magnified enough to make fingerprint
comparisons.