Grant lets police get crime-scene van

The crime scene van is the only one of its kind in the county.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It might be called "CSI" on wheels.
A new $72,000 fully equipped crime scene van rolled its way into the New Castle Police Department on March 10.
"This is another tool that we are going to use to fight crime in New Castle. This will be used for anything from drugs to homicides," Mayor Wayne Alexander said of the vehicle.
"CSI" is a popular television show that deals with solving crimes through the use of high-tech equipment.
The van came courtesy of a federal grant secured by U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, R-4th. The $200,000-plus federal appropriation also paid for new police radios, a firearms training machine and other items. The department is awaiting a second federal grant through U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., that may be used to buy vehicles for canine officers among other things.
"It's something we will really use," Police Chief Tom Sansone said of the crime scene van. "Instead of having to take two and three detective cars to a crime scene, we will just take the van."
What's included
It came fully equipped from the manufacturer, Sirchie Labs in New Jersey, with everything needed to collect evidence at a crime scene as well as running water, cameras, a built-in refrigerator and generator to keep everything going.
There are outside lights mounted on the van to illuminate dark areas and even a platform on top to use for photographs.
Lt. Abram Smith, chief of the city detective bureau, said they've always had crime-scene collection tools, but they were never organized like those in the van.
"Before, we might fill up a trunk and the back seat of a cruiser with things going to a scene," he said. And often they would have to call out the fire department for lights and ladders when needed.
Sansone said the van is the only one of its kind in the county. Pennsylvania State Police in Butler have a similar van, but isn't always available, he said.
The chief said he intends to make the crime scene van available to other police departments in the county if needed.
cioffi@vindy.com