The Tyler Police Department is set to purchase a 3D laser scanning system that will capture data and document crime scenes and vehicle crash sites more efficiently and with better accuracy.

The Tyler Police Department is set to purchase a three-dimensional laser scanning system to document, reconstruct and analyze crime scenes and vehicle crash sites.

The Tyler City Council agreed during its regular meeting on Wednesday to accept a $54,583.49 donation from the Smith County District Attorney’s Office to be used toward the purchase of a Leica RTC360 Laser Scanner from Collision and Crime Forensic Solutions.

Investigators currently use hand measurements, a total station device to measure distances and angles and call on the Texas Rangers for assistance. The Leica RTC360 Laser Scanner captures data and documents crime scenes and vehicle crash sites more efficiently and with better accuracy, according to Tyler Police Department Lt. Donald “Luke” Shafer.

“We did our research, looked at it and watched it in use,” Shafer said. “This will move our department forward. It is cutting-edge technology that will significantly enhance major accident and major crime scene investigations.”

This new technology allows investigators to digitally document a scene and get precise, easily sharable evidence that can be analyzed and presented as scientific evidence in court, Shafer said.

It will help the district attorney’s office by allowing them to present a more in-depth case for trial. They will have the ability to walk jurors through the complex scenes officers work, Shafer said.

“This actually gives them the ability to walk people through the scene,” Shafer said, noting that a 3D model has a bigger impact on viewers than photographs, especially since the scanner can document exactly where each shell casing and victim were located, etc.

The software allows investigators to integrate video, audio, and photographs to create diagrams and animations. These images can also be used to reconstruct a scene and to develop courtroom presentations, according to Shafer.

Tyler Mayor Don Warren commented how amazing technology is and asked Shafer to explain how this scanner could’ve helped the investigation when a woman was fatally shot at a Tyler daiquiri shop in the summer of 2021.

“The daquiri shop was a huge complex scene. We had multiple rounds and multiple victims, unfortunately. The way we currently work, the crime scene (unit) will come out, they’ll put the placards out, they’ll photograph everything and document it as much as they can,” Shafer explained.

Shafer said while doing this, the wind blows the placards and there are other issues as well.

“It’s a time-consuming process, which they will still have to do. This is not going to prevent that, but it will free up some of their time,” Shafer said.

The new system will take about two minutes per scan, so for a scene like the daquiri shop murder, Shafer said it could be completed within about an hour and result in a full scan with a 3D model of the crime scene. This is beneficial because it not only allows for more accuracy, but it also helps the exact crime or accident scene live on forever in a visual representation for investigators and even the the district attorney’s office, Shafer said.

“These scenes, after we cut them loose and it goes back to normal use, we’ve forever lost that information,” Shafer said. “This will give us a precise, detailed account of what actually took place that day when (the crime or accident) happened.”

Preparing officers to use the scanner in the field will require a one-week class, Shafer said. The purchase comes with a training that will bring experts to train the department’s accident and crime scene investigators so they know how the system works, Shafer said. Additionally, the Texas Rangers use the same system and have invited the Tyler Police Department to train with them to have an even better understanding of the system and how it works in the field, Shafer said.

This purchase could also also benefit the fire department as it has the ability to track burn patterns through a house to show where a fire started, Shafer said.

“It has multiple applications that it can be used for,” Shafer said.

Additionally, the RTC360 sits atop a collapsible tripod. It is compact, lightweight, functions in extreme conditions and all environments, and is portable and easily transported in a backpack, according to Shafer.

The purchase covers training and 24-hour lifetime technical support from the manufacturer.

The total cost is $109,166.98. Other funding in the amount of $33,765 came from the U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. The remaining $20,819.49 will be funded through asset forfeiture dollars, according to the city.