greenwood mobile command unit 06-23-08

THE GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CUTTING DOWN ON CRIME. THEY PURCHASED THIS TRAILER LAST THURSDAY TO USE IT AS A MOBILE COMMAND UNIT. THE TRAILER HOWEVER IS NOT READY FOR USE.  THE DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF RENOVATING IT. POLICE CHIEF HENRY PURNELL SAYS THEY WILL PUT RADIOS, A CAMERA SYSTEM AND COMPUTERS IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMAND UNIT IS TO QUICKEN THE RESPONSE TIME OF OFFICERS AT THE SCENE OF A CRIME. THIS MOBILE CRIME UNIT WILL HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED IN IT AND GOING TO EQUIP IT WITH OTHER ITEMS THAT WE ALSO NEED. WITH A MOBILE UNIT IN THE AREA WE CAN MOVE IT AT ONE TIME FROM ONE PLACE TO ANTHER WITHOUT HESITATION. THE COMMAND UNIT WILL ALSO BE USED CENTRAL COMMAND HEADQUARTER FOR OFFICERS ON THE STREETS. ANYTHING AN OFFICER NEEDS TO DO CAN BE DONE FROM THE UNIT. OFFICER PURNELL SAYS THEY HOPE TO GET ANOTHER ONE SOON THEY CAN SET ONE UP ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH END OF TOWN. Greenwood chief Henry purnell says, "WE ARE TRYING HARD TO CURB CRIME IN GREENWOOD. WITH OUR UNIT YOU CAN COME TO THE UNIT ITSELF AND ANYTHING YOU NEED TO REPORT YOU CAN REPORT IT TO THE OFFICERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AROUND THE UNIT AND HE CAN GET THE WORD OUT." ONCE THE UNIT IS READY IT WILL ALSO BE USED DURING CITY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE CHRISTMAS PARADE AND STARS AND STRIPES. CHIEF PURNELL SAYS THE COMMAND UNIT WILL BE SET UP IN A HIGH CRIME AREA EVERY WEEKEND. HIS GOAL IS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY A SAFER PLACE.