Greenland Police Department Security Technology Enhancements

Technology develops so quickly in today’s world that it is difficult to keep up. Common technology programs – such as building security – have changed immensely in just the past ten (10) + years. While we at the Greenland Police Department provide 24-hour law enforcement coverage (7 days per week & 365 days per year), our police station isn’t always manned.  There is between four (4) – ten (10) hours per day that are single coverage, so if the on-duty officer is on a call (or “on the road” in general), the building is left unoccupied. We are dispatched by the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office (so there are no dispatchers on site) and the department’s Administrative Assistant works Monday – Friday from 0730 – 1530. As you would expect, our police station houses many weapons/firearms, drugs (and paraphernalia), and many items of value. Regarding building access and security, all of our doors (five that access outside) are locked (without dead bolts) and we have a limited number of external surveillance cameras that aren’t viewable by anyone outside of the building. 

A community is kept safe by working together/communicating, using updated and reliable equipment/technology, and including all members, businesses, and organizations within the town. The police department has made a purposeful and sustained effort to contact and include any population that has felt previously disenfranchised or ignored. Our goal is to keep the community (and all of our “customers”) safe physically, emotionally, and mentally. In order to do so, we know that with limited personnel (specifically in the police department) we need to be able to lean on technology to assist with our mission. For the safety of the property mentioned above as well as employee documentation and virus/illness tracing, I would like to install an electronic (via cards or fobs) key security system for the building, which would provide documentation of who enters/leaves, access of the property/evidence room and building security for when no one is at the police station. Within the last year, the Town Hall and Fire Department added such a system to their buildings for the purpose of COVID-19 tracing as well as for safety reasons. I am requesting funds to cover the cost of the physical security system (estimated at five (5) electronic entrances and 15 cards/fobs to be issued to authorized employees), the computer and/or software needed to run/control the system, and all installation/setup needed.