DUBLIN, Ga. — More than $1 million of grant money will make a difference in public safety in Dublin.
The money is part of an $83 million grant announced by Governor Brian Kemp last week. According to Dublin Police Chief Keith Moon, the goal is to get technology straight to the officers and help fight burnout.
Currently, officers spend a lot of time writing reports, so cutting that time can give them more time out on the streets.
"They're excited to do reports in the car so they don't have to come back here and do them. It's almost like their own office space, because their car is their office," Moon said.
Lt. Joshua Beasley is looking forward to the new technology.
"Biggest thing has been accessibility. The hindrance of having to come back to the police department to take care of all our paperwork and get all our information," said Beasley.
Moon says for the patrol division, the department requested laptops, printers, and mounts. He says it helps give officers access to records management systems and other technologies used to combat crime.
"Trying to put as much in that vehicle as we can to help them do their job more efficiently and speedily, also," Moon said.
The grant also includes new body cameras and Taser equipment.
"There's a device that goes on their gun holster and their Taser. If they draw their gun, their bodycam automatically comes on. If they draw their Taser, their bodycam automatically comes on. There's no manual operation of it," said Moon.
They also plan to place 20 more Flock license plate reader cameras in high-crime neighborhoods to add on to the 30 already in the city -- another way to use technology to free up manpower.
"Now, with the Flock system, they can have it up in the car. They can get the notifications live in the vehicle. That's just one of the systems we're trying to give them access to," said Moon.
Moon says they hope to have the new technology for the patrol cars by mid-August. Laurens County also got a grant for about $1.5 millon. It will pay for a K-9 unit as well as technology and equipment for the sheriff's office.