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U.S Department of Justice – Bureau of Justice Assistance
2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program
East Providence Mobile Command and K9 Training
Program Narrative
The East Providence Police Department is a department of 85 Officers that serves a city of roughly 50,000 people. Our police department has a Special Reaction Team, a Hostage Negotiation Unit, a K9 team, and we run body cameras. These specialized teams each train monthly. Furthermore, they are generally called to a scene monthly and sometimes multiple times a month. These units will also work at our concert venue (Live Nation), which is located on the waterfront, our multiple feasts and events in the city throughout the year and have been detailed out when large container ships of oil come into our port. All our teams have recognized the police department is lacking in any type of mobile command set up. Currently if multiple teams are on scene and we are trying to stream video, show layouts of houses, or bring up maps of the area, all teams must huddle together around a lap top to view.
Also, our K9 unit specifically has been used more than ever recently. Over the past 6 months the call outs for our bomb detection K9 have been multiple times a month. Furthermore, we assist the entire state or RI with our K9s when mutual aid is called for. The monthly training of our K9s is imperative and having the correct training aids and tools to keep their skills sharp is at the top of all the trainers’ list.
Description of the Issue
Currently when our units respond to a scene for a major call out, the technology we use cannot be properly disseminated to the commanders of the unit. Often, we will have 3-4 specialized teams working at the same scene. Also, we will have a central commander of the scene. All the units have different responsibilities and need different information. The need for a large, mobile screen monitor for each unit is abundantly clear. The ability to live stream video from active cameras we have control over, body cameras, housing designs, maps or the area, criminal history, and any other information we deem necessary for the call would enhance public safety for the city.
A further issue we have run into is specifically with our K9 units. With the expanded use of our K9s throughout the city and occasionally throughout the state the need to training aid and gear have increased to unexpected levels. The K9 unit has added a new K9 this past year. These K9s need extra training in their early years to allow them to grow into their role withing the department.
Project Design and Implementation
The East Providence police department is seeking $16,890 in funding through the 2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to fund the purchase of four mobile command box monitors, and the purchase of gear and training aids for our K9 units.
The East Providence police department had an increased focus on public safety at large events. Due to our concert venue getting an upgrade (50 concerts per year of up to 6,000 people), our entire waterfront being cleared and opened for development, and our eastern shoreline/port being home to two Maritime Transportations Security Act (MTSA) regulated facilities, we have determined the increase focus on a mobile command set up is imperative to our public safety. We intend to use the funds approx. $12,796 to purchase four mobile command monitor boxes. Once purchased we will set up training courses with our Special Reaction Team, Hostage Negotiations team, K9 unit, and drone unit. We will run these training courses, so all units feel comfortable in the quick set up and implementation of the monitors. We will use all the connection options the monitors have to show their versatility.
After the units are properly trained, we will start sending the mobile command boxes out on large call outs where the teams are activated. We will also use the command boxes at large events where there are large groups of the public in one area. Also, we will use the boxes for demonstration purposes at community events to further build a relationship with our community.
We intend to use the funds of approx. $4,094 for the purchase and implementation of K9 training aids and gear. We would like to purchase the following training tools. Of note all training aids are scented only and do not contain any actual explosives. We intend to purchase 14 Precision Explosive Odor Prints, 1 Narcotic Odor Print, 2 Scent Boxes, and 1 Blank Odor Print. These items would immediately be put into use for training with our explosives detection K9 unit and our narcotic detection K9 unit. We intend to purchase 1 muzzle, 2 hearing protection covers, and 1 K9 helmet. These items would also be put directly to use however the Special Reaction Team would also be used in this training as our narcotics detection K9 has been training with them monthly in order to make our K9 part of the team and add another layer of less lethal force to the team.
