New High-Tech Cameras Catch Criminals; Help in Search & Rescue Operations

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Story Published: Sep 2, 2008 at 5:12 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 1:35 AM MST

By Nate Eaton

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REXBURG - The Rexburg police department has a brand new crime fighting kit that will not only catch the bad guys but may help you in a disaster.

The United States Military is using this same sort of equipment in Iraq. Rexburg Police Sergeant Brian Allen recently returned from North Carolina where he was trained on how to use the kit.

The $30,000 equipment kit will change how the Rexburg police department works.

"You can take this anywhere," said Sergeant Brian Allen. "One man can easily use and pack the entire system."

The kit has a 14-foot pole, some imaging tools, and two cameras. One thermal - to detect heat. And one infrared - to see in the dark.

"It has it's own light source where its infrared so we can look in dark and close spaces," said Allen.

Allen showed the media how it works by shutting off the lights and pointing the infrared camera at us. In a monitor, you can clearly see us the reporters holding our cameras.

Imagine if officers were out looking for someone in the middle of the night.

"Let's say we have an earthquake and we have buildings that collapse. We can use this system to go in and get into tight and confined spaces and do searches," said Allen.

The long pole can help in all sorts of situations.

"Let's say I was searching the bottom of a car. This has got wheels on it and you just stick it on the end of a pole and you can get under it," said Allen.

The cameras can go about anywhere.

"This is waterproof so let's say we were looking for perhaps a child that had drowned. We could actually use this for search and rescue efforts," said Allen.

About 150 other agencies across the country got the same equipment.

The grant comes from the Department of Homeland Security and the Rexburg Police Department is already applying for other grants that will pay for some other equipment.

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