New Technology Helping Danville Police Department

Danville, VA -- New technology at Danville's Police Department is helping them do their jobs. The department recently received a Smart Board. Officers use it in their morning meetings, where they can access the internet, see pictures, and use the interactive technology to better catch criminals.

A pen and paper is all that the officers had just a few months ago during their meetings. Now they use a huge monitor that allows them to be interactive in their investigations. For example, they can see suspects' pictures and get more information for a particular case.

Captain Dennis Haley says that's not all they use the Smart Board for. Officers have used it for training, planning a SWAT mission, and planning search warrants. And they can access the information from the Smart Board in their patrol cars. Haley says the Smart Board cost the department $8,000, which was paid for using drug seizure money. Haley tells us this technology has been extremely helpful.

"Actually use Google Earth and pull up the outside of the house, show its location. It provides very user friendly means of providing a lot of information for the officers before they go out," said Haley.

Another exciting improvement to the department is that all of the officers are in the process of receiving body-worn cameras. The Street Crimes Unit has had them for a while, but soon all officers will be equipped.