Funded by Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Technology grant
Eatonton Police Department now has laptops in all its patrol cars thanks to a $30,000 grant the city of Eatonton received from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
“I am very pleased that the GOHS has chosen us for this grant,” Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell said. “The entire staff of Eatonton Police Department is committed to serving and protecting our community in the utmost professional manner and these laptops will help us maintain this goal and make the citizens of Eatonton proud of our department.”
Eatonton police officer Rebecca Meeks was happy to show off the Getac computer laptop mounted in the front passenger side of her patrol vehicle.
“I love it,” she said. “It makes it so much easier for me and the other officers to do our paperwork so we can spend more time patrolling the streets and responding to calls.”
Getac Technology Corporation specializes in rugged mobile technology and intelligent video solutions that enable the vital work done by frontline workers operating in the world’s most challenging environments, according to its website. Getac’s customers include defense, public safety, ambulance, fire rescue, utilities, automotive, natural resources, manufacturing, transport, and logistic industries in over 100 countries.
“This GOHS grant award aligns with the goal of the mayor and Eatonton City Council’s continued efforts to modernize our police department and provide the level of service and protection that our citizens deserve,” Eatonton Mayor John Reid said. “I would like to thank everyone involved in making this happen.”
The laptops were installed recently and after the officers are adept at using them, they will be connected to the police department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software so the officers’ reports will be filed instantly with the dispatchers’ reports.
“The officers will not have to be in the office filing reports but can be out on the streets,” Cardwell said. “All of this is a big step for us and will help us be more professional,” he added, regarding the CAD software and patrol car laptops.
The police chief is the one who applied for the grant from the GOHS, a state division that educates the public on safe driving behaviors and implements highway safety programs. The city’s police department has worked on many projects in cooperation with GOHS over the years.
“Any loss of life on our roads is one too many and the fact that almost all fatal traffic crashes can be prevented is one reason we are awarding this grant,” said Allen Poole, director of the GOHS. “The target of zero traffic deaths in our nation is achievable and we will continue to help develop and implement educational messages, enforcement campaigns, and other safety initiatives aimed at bringing us one step closer to our goal.”
The GOHS goal goes hand-in-hand with EPD’s mission, Cardwell said. “It is our mission at the Eatonton Police Department to safeguard the lives and the property of the people we serve, to reduce the incidence and fear of crime, and to enhance public safety while working with our diverse community to improve its quality of life. We will do so with honor and integrity while at all times conducting ourselves with the highest ethical standards to maintain public confidence."