Keyword Search:

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 03:11 PM

Home Page

| | | News |

| | | Ways To Save |

| | | Weather |

| | | Links & More |

| | | Sports |

| | | Programming |

| | | What's On NEWS 25 |

| | | YouNewsTV |

| | | Highlight On... |

| | | Financial News |

| | | Contests & Games |

| | | Backroads Classics |

| | | Marx Madness |

| | | NEWS 25 Gas Saver |

| | | Obituaries |

| | | Community Calendar |

| | | Meet The Team |

| | | Advertising |

| | | Contact Us |

|

BEAST Joins Owensboro Police Department

Dated: 03/17/2009 18:52:55 | Updated: 03/17/2009 18:56:37

story by: Corey Allan

OWENSBORO, KY - A BEAST now calls the Owensboro Police Department home. And don't let its looks fool you. What the BEAST lacks in size, it makes up for in the field.

The Bar-Encoded Evidence Analysis Statistics and Tracking System is now how OPD officers log evidence.

"We use a bar code system similar to what you see in the grocery store aisles, the grocery store scanners. Just not maybe as complex and designed for law enforcement to track our evidence," said Marvin Hayden.

Before, evidence was tracked the old fashion way by paper. Filling out forms proved to be time consuming and sometimes inaccurate.

"Verses with paper in the past, we would document by hand and initial off and date things. But sometimes our times might be different. But with this bar code system, everything is synced with the computer clocks," says Hayden.

How the $15,000 system works, the officer logs the evidence into the BEAST's computer software and it's given a number. That number goes with a bar code, matching up with the information in the system. Giving it its exact location in the evidence holding vault and details to its case.

With a name like the BEAST, getting the officers to tame the devices had its funny moments.

"We had to go through and train all of our officers, all of our detectives on how to log the property into this new system. So yeah we had some pretty light moments in dealing with the beast so to speak," said Hayden.

Hayden hopes that the BEAST is not the last improvement the department sees, and that more technology is on the way.

"Colonel Skeens, our chief, is always looking at trying to increase our technology here at the department. So we can be more productive, more efficient, and also help us do our jobs better for the public," said Hayden.

Some technological improvements the department is aiming for is an updated finger printing system and video enhancement software. All depend on whether or not the department has the budget or receives grants.