The $200,000 worth of equipment purchased with American Rescue Plan Act funds for the McComb Police Department is intended to protect officers and solve crimes quicker.
Mayor Quordiniah Lockley began the discussion saying Police Chief Garland Ward approached him about the needs.
“The police chief came and talked to me as far as needed with the equipment in the police department,” Lockley said.
The city board unanimously approved the purchase.
The initial intent was to spend $150,000 of ARPA funds for the equipment, but Selectman Devante Johnson made a substitute motion for $200,000, saying crime is increasing and equipment is outdated.
Deputy Police Chief Delre Smith said computers from Pileum Corp. of Jackson would be placed in each police car, which would enable officers to more quickly complete reports and review surveillance footage.
“What we’re trying to do is, even though we’ve been blessed to be able to apprehend people so far, we want to be able to get ahead to get the community a quality product in improving that,” he said. “Right now, the officers have to go back to the police departments to be able to do their reports. It’ll be better if they are able to do the reports on the scene just in case additional witnesses might come forward.”
Smith also said the money would pay for upgraded body armor to keep officers as safe as possible.
Lockley agreed.
“It’s important that we look at trying to make our community and our city as safe as possible as well as protect our police officers. Because they are now dealing with weapons that five years ago, on the streets, they were not dealing with,” he said.
Andy Turnage of Pileum Corp., talked about how the software would help catch acts on cameras.
“I’m not selling you a camera and then selling you software. I’m saying you have cameras, so let me get to that footage and let us use that,” he said.
Selectman Shawn Williams asked for clarification how the equipment would help catch a suspect, and Turnage said officers could use it to retrieve surveillance footage at the scene of crimes and review it immediately on site.
