Dubose

New technology will soon help The Meridian Police Department in its mission to keep the public safe. 

The Meridian City Council approved the purchase of cameras to be used by police as part of an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Thursday. The two cameras will be equipped with license plate readers that help police locate cars wanted throughout the state. 

Ridgeland and Jackson already have such readers and upload wanted vehicles to a state database. From there, every city with access and cameras can find and upload vehicles. 

“If a vehicle is wanted in Ridgeland and comes to Meridian, we’ll know,” Police Chief Benny Dubose said. 

Dubose said the department hopes to install the cameras, in undisclosed locations, within the next month. 

In addition to the cameras, Dubose also asked the council to approve a bid for computer mounts to be used in police vehicles. The 53 mounts, purchased for $74,709.64 from Venture Technologies, will be installed in newer model cars. As the department purchases new vehicles, computer mounts will also be purchased. The department has already ordered the computers in anticipation of an upgraded E-911 system.

“We will be able to use (the computers) when they’re installed to a certain degree,” Dubose said. “For reports in the field and such, but as far as searching license plates, no.”

A complete overhaul of the E-911 system has been highly anticipated by emergency responders. It will allow officers to have information about specific locations on-screen, rather than relying on memory of past calls. It would also assist the coordination of officers responding to calls. 

“This will allow us to jumpstart on the new software,” Dubose told the council.  

Richie McAlister, the city’s chief administrative officer, told the council the funding for these purchases would come from drug seizures and not from taxpayers.