Polk County law enforcement agencies to go high tech

The sheriff’s department and seven police departments in Polk County willshare a one-point-one million dollar federal grant to outfit officers withhigh-tech equipment. Polk County spokesman Phil Roeder (ray’-der) says thegrant will fund notebook computers for patrol cars and software to link themto various records databases. The money comes from the federal Community Oriented Policing Services or”COPS” program. Roeder says the computers will give officers quick accessto important information.He says they will begin looking for the equipment immediately and hope to getit operating in the next year.The county and each of the seven communities must provide 25-percent of thefunds for the equipment. The seven police departments involved are:Altoona, Clive, Johnston, Mitchellville, Pleasant Hill, Polk City and WindsorHeights.