New High-Tech Laser Scanner Will Speed Serious Crash Investigations for LWPD

A new high-tech three-dimensional laser scanner is promising to speed traffic investigations being conducted by the Lake Wales Police Department, assuring quicker re-openings of intersections and crash sites after incidents.

Courtesy Lake Wales Police Department

This new device will create millions of geographic data points in under an hour, speeding investigations of serious traffic crashes.

The new $63,969.42 laser scanner will be used to help investigate major crime scenes and traffic crashes resulting in serious bodily injury or death, enabling one officer to map out millions of geographic measurement points in under an hour, rather than the typical four hours required to conduct the process by hand.

According to a staff report prepared for the city commission, "this equipment quickly and accurately collects millions of measurable data points from a scene that is then stored in the forensic analysis software. This data is then transformed into a 3D color model that accurately depicts both interior and exterior scenes for reconstruction purposes. The resulting diagrams and animation capabilities with this system ultimately help investigators re-create a scene and actions that occurred during the incident from beginning to end. "

"The sooner we get the roadway back up and running and clear for traffic, the lower the likelihood of seeing secondary crashes caused by drivers who are distracted by the original accident," said Deputy Chief Troy Schulze.

The laser scanner is made by FARO Technologies. The system produces 2-D and 3-D images that help investigators recreate a scene from beginning to end. Originally priced around $75,000; the department acquired the system at a discounted rate of $63,969