County Police Buy $192,000 Boat With Grant
The Prince William County, Va., Police Department has used a federal Homeland Security Department grant to purchase a new boat to facilitate the monitoring of the county’s shores. The new vessel replaced the department’s smaller, second-hand boat that could only fit two officers.
The new boat, which cost $192,000, can fit upwards of a dozen officers in its full cabin. “In the event that we had specific information, or the threat level goes up in another way, this boat is a tool we could use to protect the infrastructure,” noted Police Chief Charlie T. Deane.
The county has 22 miles of shoreline, which includes a power plant and 10 harbors.
The new, 34-foot-long Donzi Police Boat accommodates computers, radio, and radar, which will be used for patrolling waters and searching for missing persons, according to the department’s marine division.
The radar technology will help police navigate at night, added First Sgt. C.S. Lawhead, who oversees the marine division.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Washington Post (04/13/06) P. T1; Vargas, Theresa .
