The Lincoln County Commissioners voted unanimously at their regular meeting Sept. 6 to accept a $12,106 Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant awarded to several Lincoln County law enforcement agencies.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was awarded $6618 of the total sum.
The Byrne Formula Grant Program as created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 to aid local law enforcement in fighting violent crimes and serious offenders. The federal grant is awarded to state governments, who in turn allocate the funds to local agencies.
According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the awarding agency, the grant “may be used to provide personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance, and information systems” to better apprehend, prosecute, and rehabilitate offenders.
Though the grant won’t be received for one to two months, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett said he is already exploring ways in which to allocate the funds.
Brackett said he was looking into purchasing a total station digital traffic accident reconstruction program that could provide a detailed breakdown of a traffic accident.
The program allows the user to automatically measure distances and angles from reference points placed at points of interest at the accident site.
Brackett said that the technology uses a laser that scans the scene of the accident and provides a variety of information, including the exact dimensions of the accident site.
The technology would significantly reduce the time it takes for the police to analyze a traffic accident, reducing the duration of lane closures. An electronic record of the accident scene is also kept for police records.
He said that nothing was set, however, and that the reconstruction technology was one option.
Commissioner Sheridan Bond suggested an anonymous, encrypted tip line for citizens to text law enforcement to report a crime. Bond said the project was tested in Portland and met with success.
Brackett said he was not aware of the project, but would reach out to the Portland Police Department to find out more information.
