The Natchez Democrat

VIDALIA &8212; The Vidalia Police Department received a grant of $17,405.39 from the United States Homeland Security Department last week.

Chief Billy Hammers announced the receipt of the grant at Tuesday&8217;s Board of Aldermen meeting.

The money, Capt. George Rutherford said, will be used to install a software program that would share case information with other parish municipalities including the Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office, the district attorney&8217;s office and the Concordia Parish courts.

&8220;I&8217;m just tickled to death to be keeping up with the times and not falling behind,&8221; Rutherford said.

&8220;When I started as a policeman in the 60s, we didn&8217;t even know what a computer was.&8221;

Rutherford said VPD applied for the grant on March 21 of this year.

An additional $30,502.25, as part of the same program, will be received next year, Rutherford said.

The software program will enable VPD to have features like computer-aided dispatch, computerized maps within the patrol cars that show the location of vehicles or where crimes are taking place and an instant access to records.

&8220;The last one is probably the most important,&8221; Rutherford said.

The records management system, Rutherford said, would allow an officer to perform background criminal checks from his patrol car.

Once an officer completes an incident report, it will be stored so that all other municipalities can access the same information, Rutherford said.

For now, Rutherford said VPD is concentrating on just getting Concordia Parish linked to the program, but the program will eventually be statewide so that all Louisiana municipalities can access the same criminal information.

&8220;This will be a great way local municipalities can help out with our nation&8217;s homeland security,&8221; Rutherford said.