Waynesboro PD honored for technology efforts

Waynesboro Police Chief Michael Wilhelm accepted the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police-iXP Excellence in Technology Award at a ceremony held June 14 in San Diego.

The IACP award program recognizes law enforcement agencies’ superior achievement and innovation in the field of communication and information technology. This highly competitive international award program is designed to recognize exceptional, innovative, and extraordinary achievement in law enforcement technology-based programs, efforts, or initiatives that benefit law enforcement as a profession.

The Waynesboro Police Department was recognized for the effective deployment of a complex multi-unit license plate reader technology program that serves as an example for other law enforcement agencies to follow. The federal grant funded project was coordinated by Waynesboro’s Computer User’s Group. This group of sworn and civilian personnel insured that policy, privacy, and training issues were effectively addressed before deploying the cutting edge technology. 　　

The National Institute of Justice (Office of Science and Technology) and SPAWAR’s Advanced Law Enforcement Technology Branch provided operational, research, and technical expertise that allowed Waynesboro Police Department to apply the findings of numerous LPR research projects from around the country within a single LPR program.　The expertise developed among WPD’s officers and IT support staff has already been called on by other police and sheriff’s departments in the region, state, and nationwide.

Wilhelm was invited by IACP and the National Institute of Justice to present an overview of the award winning project at the IACP’s Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Section Conference in San Diego.　His travel-related expenses were reimbursed by the U.S. Justice Department. The IACP LEIM conference had over 600 law enforcement executives and technologists in attendance. Chief Wilhelm was able to take advantage of the no cost training opportunity to bring technology related ideas and resources back to the department.