Firehouse donates to Suffolk police

Suffolk, Va (WAVY) - The Suffolk police department has received a donation from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.

The foundation donated more than $19,000 for new equipment. The police department used the money to buy Total Station equipment, which electronically measures distances so investigators can make highly accurate 3D sketches of crime and accident scenes.

Bobby Jones, an assistant chief with the Knox County Sheriff's Department in Tennessee, trained officers on the new equipment Wednesday.

"We are able to replicate what we see in photographs, but in such a way that they can put it on a piece of paper and present it to a court and help explain how a crash happens out on a road, or how a crime scene happens," he said.

Joan Jones is supervisor of the forensic unit in Suffolk. She says being able to quickly and accurately make these measurements will save time.

"We were actually using measuring tapes. We actually walked or paced to come up with the feet or inches we were looking for," she said.

And while this digital equipment is new to the Suffolk Police Department, the technology is not new at all -- it's actually been used by surveyors for years.

Mark Erie, a crash investigator with the Suffolk Police Department says the new equipment is not only more accurate, but will also save time and help police clear a scene faster.

"With this machine we'll be able to be out of the roadway and still obtain our measurements and keep the road closed for less amount of time," Erie said.

All of this was made possible by a retired police officer.

John King, who owns the Suffolk Firehouse Subs business, was with the Suffolk Police Department and still serves as an auxiliary police officer. His wife Pam King, who co-owns the restaurant, is also a former police officer and now an investigator with the Suffolk Fire Marshall's office.