Homeland Security grants go to West Windsor, Montgomery

Night vision equipment to be purchased

By: Nick Norlen
   In West Windsor and Montgomery townships, you can run, but you can’t hide — even in the dark or behind walls.
   As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program, police departments in both municipalities will receive devices to help them locate individuals in situations where the naked eye isn’t sufficient.
   In West Windsor, police will be able to use an Evader’s Night Vision Imaging System, or ENVIS, to see in the dark.
   Township Police Chief Joseph Pica said the device collects the ambient light in a dark area so "you don’t need any outside light sources to view your surroundings."
   He said the ENVIS will be a valuable tool in surveillance scenarios, which occur frequently in the township.
   Most importantly, it will allow officers to observe criminal activity without being detected, he said.
   According to Chief Pica, the prosecutor’s office applied for equipment through the DHS grant program.
   He said the department will definitely make good use of the device.
   "These items are very expensive and they would be a burden to the department and the taxpayers, so whenever we get this type of assistance, we’re very appreciative," he said.
   The Montgomery Police Department will receive a Thermovision Scout ZX thermal imaging camera.
   Township Police Director Michael Beltranena explained its use.
   "In the event we are looking for someone in the dark or in a building, it will show the heat in that body," he said. "But it has got a lot of uses."
   As well as tracking criminals, the device can be used, for example, in searches for missing persons in wooded areas, Mr. Beltranena said.
   He said the department applied for the equipment specifically.
   "It’s unusual to get a piece of equipment from the Homeland Security department that we can use not only for issues of homeland security, but for any public safety issues as well," he said. "This was one of the items we felt we could get the most use for."
   Mr. Beltranena said he hopes to take advantage of the federal program each year.
   "We’ll look at what we need and what’s available to us," he said.
   For now, Mr. Beltranena said the thermal imaging tool will get plenty of use once officers are trained on its use.
   "It will not be collecting dust in a closet," he said.