TYLER, Texas — **EDITOR'S NOTE -- the video attached was produced on July 14, 2022.
The City of Tyler Police Department is pursuing a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for additional funding.
Today, the Tyler City Council approved a resolution for the TPD to apply for and accept a grant for funding from the DOJ. The grant they are applying for is the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, which if selected by the DOJ, will max out at $34,000 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
TPD will use this grant to help purchase equipment for the support of crime scene investigations. The equipment includes a Leica Laser Scanner and the accessories associated.
“With this additional equipment, our forensic investigators will have the ability to develop more timely scene diagrams and presentations with more precise and accurate measurements,” said Police Chief Jimmy Toler. “This gives the officers the ability to capture crime scene evidence faster, more safely and in greater detail to create digital representations of incidents. It also provides a better way of gathering deliverables for court officials with the possibility of bringing more cases to justice."
The JAG program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding for state and local jurisdictions. JAG provides critical funding that is necessary for a variety of program areas including law enforcement; prevention and education programs; crime victim and witness initiatives; and drug treatment and enforcement.