Date: July 7, 2003
Contact:
Patty McQuillan
733-5027
(ext. 232)
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For Release: Immediate
Date: July 7, 2003 |
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Contact:
Patty McQuillan
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CRIME COMMISSION GRANT PROVIDES CAMERAS TO LAW AGENCIES |
RALEIGH - The Governor’s Crime Commission is this week sending digital cameras to 27 law enforcement agencies from across the state to help in investigations and prosecutions of domestic violence cases.
The Minolta cameras will enable officers to take digital photographs of a victim’s injuries, the perpetrator, the children and the scene of each domestic violence case they investigate. In addition, the law enforcement agencies that are receiving cameras have agreed in turn to train each first responding officer in investigating domestic violence cases.
Evidence-based prosecution techniques have become increasingly critical to district attorneys across North Carolina as victims routinely refuse to testify due to fear of retaliation by their batterer. The DAs have agreed to work with the law enforcement agency and to encourage the use of digital photography in domestic violence cases.
“Cameras are an excellent way to capture the crime scene and provide officers with photo documentation to take to court,” said Linda Hayes, chairman of the Governor’s Crime Commission. “This domestic violence grant has really helped in prosecuting batterers.”
In 1998, the Governor’s Crime Commission purchased 1,200 Polaroid cameras to distribute to law enforcement agencies. Those cameras proved critical in assisting prosecutors in the state with the evidence they need to prosecute cases without the victim’s testimony.
The Minolta Dimage S414 cameras include a carrying case, a reader/writer, and all the software necessary to create digital photographs. The grant for the cameras was provided as part of the state’s Violence Against Women’s Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1994 to provide monies to the states to address the issues of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
The following are the law enforcement agencies receiving the cameras:
Badin Police Dept.
Beech Mountain Police Dept.
Beulaville Police Dept.
Bladenboro Police Dept.
Camden County Sheriff’s Office
Carthage Police Dept.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Drexel Police Dept.
East Spencer Police Dept.
Elon Police Dept.
Franklinton Police Dept.
Gates County Sheriff’s Office
Holly Ridge Police Dept.
Kure Beach Police Dept.
Landis Police Dept.
Leland Police Dept.
Madison County Sheriff’s Dept.
Maggie Valley Police Dept.
Ocean Isle Beach Police Dept.
Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office
Pine Knoll Shores Police Dept.
Robbins Police Dept.
Southern Shores Police Dept.
Sparta Police Dept.
Windsor Police Dept.
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