HOBART, WI (WTAQ) – Hobart-Lawrence Police Department became the 27th agency to receive a gift from Wisconsin Public Service for their Rewarding Responders Week.
The Police Department received a thermal-imaging device that will help see areas of heat during a search effort.
Police Chief Randy Bani says it is something that is good to have, but something they hope can stay in the case for a while.
“We can use it to help us locate lost or missing children or elderly individuals or people who are trying to hide from police.”
He says they had a situation recently where it would have come in handy to have in the squad car.
“Just a few weeks ago, we had a suspect hiding from us and I think that this piece of equipment would have certainly assisted us in finding him quicker,” Bani said.
Chief Bani says the item was not on their “must-have” list on their budget, but it is nice to have it just in case.”
In total, the WPS Foundation is awarding $50,000 through this year’s grant program to 27 agencies in northeast and north-central Wisconsin.
Matt Cullen, Spokesperson for WPS says it is a program that they look forward to annually.
“Departments apply at the beginning of May and we have a committee that looks at each of the applications and they pick the agencies that they feel is most deserving.”
The process is always done in secret. Cullen says the hope is that the departments don’t know that they are getting a gift.
