Don’t be surprised if a Watervliet police officer knows your name while your rolling down the window for speeding.
Through Albany County District Attorney David Soares Making Crime Pay initiative, the Watervliet police department was on the receiving end of a number of mobile data terminals used in finding information about a vehicle its registered user and possibly the driver, before the car is stopped for any reason, according to information from Soares’ office.
Soares, Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning, Police Chief Ronald Boisvert, Patrol Operation Supervisor Jack Kimmey, and members of the Albany County law enforcement community were on hand for a conference announcing the terminals at the Watervliet Police Department on Tuesday, June 8.
Boisvert said he is glad Soare’s promise to take care of the river town’s, namely the municipal police departments along the Hudson River from Albany to Cohoes.
`We are very happy and appreciative that he honored his commitment,` Boisvert said.
Boisvert said Watervliet had a similar technology, but the new units are vast technological upgrade, allowing officers a chance to see more information, faster, about a vehicle before a traffic stop.
`It gives us the ability to run license plates at the scene of a traffic incident,` Boisvert said.
It allows for Internet connectivity and intermunicipal connectivity to give officers information about arrest warrants and other contact the registered driver might have had with neighboring police agencies, as well, he said.
`It’s more robust software,` Boisvert said.
The 26 member department got 5 units each at close to $5,000 including costs for the mounting hardware, Boisvert said.
The `Making Crime Pay` program uses seized assets from criminals to make public and officer safety purchases.
`I am committed to ensuring that crime never pays for those involved in illegal activities, however, I will take those resources that we can secure from criminals and use them to fund anti-crime activities that take place throughout Albany County,` said Soares.
Other purchases such as guns, license plate readers, bulletproof vests, radios, funding for neighborhood watch programs, scholarships for training and education are used with Making Crime Pay funds.
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