Elkhart Board of Public Safety approves vehicle-data software contract with Berla iVe for $3,250

The Elkhart City Board of Public Safety on Aug. 26 approved a $3,250 contract renewal with Berla iVe, a vehicle data-extraction software used by the police department.

Police Chief Dave Melanes said the software lets investigators download data from vehicle computers after crashes or crimes involving vehicles, drawing a comparison to how examiners extract information from cell phones. "It's for, Burla Ive, which is a software program that we use, for vehicle downloads for the computers in the vehicles and, information like that," Melanes said during the meeting. He told the board the contract had already been reviewed and approved by City Legal.

Board members moved and seconded approval of the agreement and voted in favor. The contract amount cited at the meeting was $3,250.

Melanes left the meeting shortly after the vote to attend another appointment. No further discussion or conditions related to the contract were recorded in the meeting transcript.

The software is intended for use in crash and crime investigations where vehicle data may assist evidence gathering, according to the chief’s remarks. The transcript did not record budget line-item details or the contract term length.

The contract approval was part of a routine Board of Public Safety agenda that also included claims approvals, minutes approvals and a vehicle transfer to the city motor pool.