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Atwater police report Measure B purchases, new data‑sharing tools and radio workarounds
Summary
Police Chief McEachin reported recent Measure B expenditures including motorcycle repairs ($1,123), sales tax on ballistic helmets ($1,090), vehicle repairs and evidence‑tow fees; he described new systems (Peregrine crime‑mapping, Axon interview‑room cameras) and a trial of a cellular radio app while a county radio upgrade is completed.
Police Chief McEachin reported to the Measure B citizens oversight committee that the department charged several one‑time and ongoing items to the Measure B fund this quarter and described technology investments intended to streamline investigations and evidence sharing.
Chief McEachin listed specific one‑time costs covered by Measure B this quarter: motorcycle service ($1,123); sales tax on ballistic helmets purchased with grant funds ($1,090); replacement of a push bar after a wreck ($681); an evidence tow of an RV ($1,437); and biohazard cleanups tied to a stabbing and a shooting. He also said ongoing costs — vehicle lease payments, an online reporting system and camera infrastructure including license‑plate readers — continue to be charged in the Measure B fund.
On technology, the chief described a recently council‑approved Peregrine platform that combines report writing, camera systems and crime‑mapping into a single investigative tool that can be shared with partner agencies. "Once that's done and we all have agreements in place, we can actually share information through that as well," he said. He also noted Axon interview‑room cameras were scheduled for installation the following day; the system will upload interview footage to the cloud alongside body and vehicle camera video and allow the district attorney to view footage without manual media transfers.
Committee members pressed McEachin on interoperability and on whether existing license‑plate readers and other camera systems would integrate with the new platform; he confirmed integration and said the combined system will reduce investigation delays. Members also raised long‑running radio/repeater problems; McEachin said the county is building a new radio infrastructure that agencies may join but has no firm completion date. The department is trialing a push‑to‑talk cellular app (Tango) to give officers phone‑based radio access in the interim.
The committee did not take action on police items; members were advised to flag any expenditure concerns for later council consideration using the draft review form staff introduced earlier.
Ending: Chief McEachin said the new systems should improve investigators’ access to video and mapping; staff will return with any additional details and procurement timelines as they become available.
