The Brookhaven Police Department is stepping up public safety thanks to a grant from Sen. John Ossoff (D-Ga.).
Ossoff secured $22,192 for BPD through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance grant program. BPD plans to purchase a new Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), allowing the department to analyze evidence in-house.
“I am delivering these crime-fighting technology upgrades to keep families safe across Brookhaven,” Ossoff said in a statement.
Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley said the fingerprinting system utilizes highly advanced digital scans that allow Brookhaven’s Crime Scene Investigators immediate access to state and national fingerprint databases.
“This real-time comparison to crime data will undoubtedly advance an investigation by hours or even days, leading to investigations being solved faster, getting criminals off the street faster, and making our community safer for all,” Gurley said.
On Monday, Oct. 30, Gurley will appear on Mondays with Madeleine, a virtual town hall with Brookhaven City Councilmember Madeleine Simmons.
“At the heart of Brookhaven’s community policing strategy is immediate action and heightened safety,” said Mayor John Ernst. “The city is grateful to our entire federal delegation for ensuring that our Police Department can depend on the JAG program to support the purchase of the most advanced forensic technology available and partner with us on delivering on our promise.”
