The Richardson Police Department is adopting cutting-edge technologies to conduct quicker investigations.
One such technology is the FARO 3D laser scanner, which can capture “image points” in a 360-degree scan of an area that specialized software then renders to reconstruct a three-dimensional visual representation of incidents like traffic accidents.
It can do so in complex environments and in just a few minutes.
Police Officer Chad Moore introduced the technology in a video presentation uploaded to Vimeo last week.
He said that the scanner could take in as many as 4 million image points over multiple scans, including everything from vehicle damage to skid marks, and combine them to recreate complete scenarios in detail.
The software can deduce factors like collision speeds, blood spatter patterns, and projectile trajectories. It works effectively in both low-lit and well-lit conditions and can render reconstructions fit for presentation in a courtroom.
Richardson PD’s Special Crash Investigation Team received the FARO 3D laser scanner in May.
The new technology is hoped to benefit the city by offering a much quicker way of collecting evidence and documenting incidents than traditional investigation methods, allowing for the faster clearing of accident scenes and a reduction in backup traffic crashes, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Tech company Faro describes the public safety benefits of its product as a “productivity workflow solution,” as its scanner can collect enough data that “return trips” to scenes would be unnecessary.
The technology also eliminates the need for an on-scene laptop, the company says, because the scanner and its data can be operated and managed using a smartphone.
FARO 3D laser scanners also have applications outside law enforcement and public safety.
A company brochure advertises the technology as providing “exceptional capturing efficiency, data quality, and accuracy for professional applications across the construction, … operations & maintenance and manufacturing markets.”