Tom MacCallum

Richmond County Daily Journal

A project to photograph Richmond County, and eight other counties, is halfway funded, according to Anson County Sheriff Tommy Allen.

Rep. Larry Kissell’s office (D-NC8) announced, “The Anson County Sheriff’s Department in Wadesboro would receive $500,000 for a Law Enforcement Visual Intelligence Tool to help nine counties in the Eighth (Congressional) District (Anson, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Hoke, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Union) coordinate jointly-managed emergencies.”

Allen said the total cost of the project is $1 million.

“As for the rest of the money, our staff will continue to work with Sheriff Allen to find other sources of funding for the remaining money needed to complete the project,” Kissell’s office said.

Pictometry images are captured at a 40-degree angle as opposed to a straight down or overhead shot. They reveal greater detail, enabling users to see different views of an image and notice relevant details such as street lights, fire hydrants, etc.

With Pictometry, the front door of a house, the back door, the windows and other details can be seen.

Allen received support from all the sheriffs in the district. “It’s kind of a win-win project, especially for law enforcement officers,” he said.

He said the software allows for an almost 3-D image which can be turned around so the user can look behind a building, measure the distance of a structure from the road and even measure how tall a building is.

Richmond County Sheriff Dale Furr said, “This project will be of great value to all the counties. I am delighted that Sheriff Allen has initiated this project.”

The money is part of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill, Kissell’s office said.

Allen said the Pictometry information will be downloaded to all county offices such as 911, sheriff’s patrol cars and the tax office.

“For Anson County (and others) to benefit from this level of technology,” Allen said, “it’s just wonderful.”