Published Saturday, September 21, 2002
By Sherris Moreira-Byers
A new "super server" could arm local police departments with another weapon to fight crime.
Mercer County Regional Council of Governments is backing a plan to buy new computer hardware and software for some police departments in member municipalities, the county jail, lockups in Greenville and Farrell and the county 911 center.
The so-called "super server" and software upgrades would allow local police to share information on suspects and crimes and spend less time dealing with paperwork.
"That would be absolutely fabulous," said Pymatuning Township Police Chief John Miller. "Sometimes we don't know what's going on in our neighbor's backyard, so to speak. It should make crime-solving considerably easier."
According to COG Executive Director James A. DeCapua, many of the member police departments have outdated computer software, if any at all. The Greenville lockup is still using pen and paper to register inmates, according to a COG report.
"If we can share our information, it would cut down on investigation time and help us get new leads," said Sharpsville Police Chief Bruce Rosa. "As long as they are secure."
The upgrade would make it easier for departments to keep computerized records and submit Uniform Crime Reports to the Pennsylvania State Police, DeCapua said. The system would make some data available to all departments but keep other information private and accessible only to individual departments.
"Whenever you can share information, it's helpful, but I'm reserving judgment until we get more information," said Sgt. Tom Strahler, acting chief of Greenville-West Salem Township police.
Implementing the proposal would cost about $88,000. State grants -- $44,000 from the Department of Community and Economic Development and $34,000 in Act 47 "distressed community" money from Farrell and Greenville -- would cover the lion's share. Another $10,000 -- the cash-match necessary to secure the grants -- would come from participating police departments, DeCapua said.
Other departments that could be involved are Shenango, Hempfield and South Pymatuning townships and Southwest Mercer County Regional, Jefferson-Clark Regional and Mercer.
Also included on the information network would be the Mercer County Sheriff's Department and the regional lockups in Farrell and Greenville.
The Gateway 930 "super server" computer, which costs about $11,000, would probably be kept at COG's office on Highland Road in Hermitage. COG system administrator Jason Koch would maintain it. The software, produced by Police Central Inc. of Alabama, costs $35,000, and licensing fees would run about $40,000. Training costs total about $2,000.
If the grant is approved early next year, the program could be up and running as early as June.