Pictured, from left, Attorney Steve Snyder, Area Planning Commissioner Dan Richard and County Attorney Chad Miner.

KOSCIUSKO — Sheriff Rocky Goshert, Captain Chris McKeand and Sergeant Detective Josh Spangle attended the Kosciusko County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Nov. 27, to request approval for the purchase of a Faro Focus Laser Scanner system.

“We’re not here asking for money to purchase it,” Goshert clarified. “We have enough funds in commissary to go ahead and take care of that. We just wanted your blessing.”

KCSD Captain Chris McKeand

“In 2002 we moved to measuring crash scenes and crime scenes with Total Stations. Since that time, technology has moved forward,” said McKeand. “About three years ago Josh and I started looking into the Faro system.”

The Faro 3D laser scanners would provide law enforcement officers with a portable way to capture accurate details of a scene for accident investigation and crime scene reconstruction. The level of precision and detail obtained from the 3D laser scanning allows investigators to create an accurate 3D model of the scene for later analysis.

McKeand explained that the cost of the total package with training and maintenance is $71,944.66, adding that the price has dropped substantially since KCSD first looked into the system.

“It was well over $100,000 in 2015,” added Spangle. “They’ve realized that a lot of departments our size couldn’t put up that money. They’ve come out with newer technology, newer models geared toward law enforcement agencies.”

“When the initial push was made to go to 3D, generally the only organizations that went to it were state agencies and large metropolitan areas because they were the only ones that could afford it,” said McKeand. “As the price has come down and as technology goes on and juries are looking into more interactive components to what they see as far as presentation from the prosecutor’s office, we’ve been pushed to provide those types of evidence.”

“Inside a residence, say a murder scene, we do that by hand most of the time,” McKeand explained. “The same way I started doing measuring scenes in 2000 with a 300-foot measuring stick and a 25-foot measuring tape is how Josh measures a crime scene right now.”

Commissioners approved this purchase.

A contract was renewed with County Attorney Chad Miner for services in 2019. Miner presented a resolution from the town of Sidney regarding an abandoned property in town. Miner also presented a resolution regarding the purchase of a property to be used by the Kosciusko coroner. In addition, Miner submitted an ordinance related to the county health department regarding the Unsafe Building Act. All of these items were approved.

Other News:

• Commissioners approved a petition by DP & P Investments to rezone ground from agricultural to commercial just off the west side of SR 15 and along both the north and south sides of Levi Lee Road.
• Approval was given for rezoning 2.93 acres from agricultural to residential on Country Club Road, west of CR 75E in Wayne Township for Reinhold and Claudia Fussle.
• Commissioners denied a petition by Daniel McCann to vacate a 16-foot wide platted easement in the Barbee Shores addition on the north side of Barbee Lake.
• An ordinance to update the personnel policy handbook, submitted by County Administrator Marsha McSherry, was approved. 
• Commissioners agreed to donate $100,000 this year and an additional $100,000 next year to the building fund for the Kosciusko Animal Welfare League.
• Commissioners approved presentation of appropriate documents related to the vacation of a public right of way in Turkey Creek Township.   
• Commissioners will be appointing another member to replace Mike Long on the drainage board. This will be addressed at the next meeting.
• County Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden provided recommendations for the purchase of supplies for 2019, which commissioners approved.
• Commissioner Vice-President Cary Groninger was not in attendance.
• The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11. 

Pictured, from left, County Attorney Chad Miner and County Auditor Michelle Puckett.