New computers for local police departments
Several local police departments will join more than 150 others from across the state in receiving mobile digital computers, or MDCs, in the coming weeks. The computers are in-car laptops, giving police officers access to state and national crime files and intelligence databases.
Carpentersville will receive three computers, worth a total of $20,502. Soon, every front-line patrol car will have one.
"Previously there were officers that didn't have access to these before and now they do, thanks to this grant," said Erman Blevins, commander of investigations for the Carpentersville Police Department.
The grant money came through ILEAS, Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, a group formed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. ILEAS is an association of most law enforcement agencies in Illinois, in place to provide support wherever local departments feel a deficit, according to Mick McAvoy, ILEAS emergency preparedness manager.
On a day-to-day basis, that can mean anything from responding to a tornado or providing SWAT team assistance.
Like the program Carpentersville is benefiting from, ILEAS regularly works to distribute grant-funded equipment throughout the state. MDCs have been awarded for the last several years, according to McAvoy.
West Dundee and Geneva also received three computers each this year and Oswego, DeKalb and Algonquin departments each received five.
Local departments get new equipment
ILEAS, Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, awarded more than 150 computers around the state
Police Dept.
# of computers
Algonquin
5
Carpentersville
3
Cortland
1
Crystal Lake Park District
1
DeKalb
5
Elburn
1
Fox River Grove
2
Geneva
3
Genoa
2
Gilberts
q
Johnsburg
2
Kingston
1
Pingree Grove
1
Oswego
5
Spring Grove
1
St. Charles
2
Waterman
2
West Dundee
3
Yorkville
5
SOURCE: Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System