Police and fire seek equipment and technology upgrades

by Laura Bednar

April 24 township trustees meeting

The Bath Township Police Department will apply for a grant to purchase 24 ballistic shields for officers through the State Homeland Security Program under the Department of Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

Police Chief and Township Administrator Vito Sinopoli said the shields will cost at least $25,000. If the township receives the grant, the shields will add another layer of protection for officers, alongside their bulletproof vests. Sinopoli said that mounts would be installed inside roofs of police cruisers for shield storage and accessibility.

Police will also purchase 25 new Glock 45 9mm handguns for $22,624. These will replace Glock 22 firearms put into service in 2014. The department will sell 27 Glock 22 firearms to Summit Armory on N. Cleveland Massillon Road for $7,155. Sinopoli said other firearm vendors only offered store credit. Summit Armory can resell the guns to customers.

Township trustees approved two agreements for technology additions to the fire department. The first was with HAAS Alert for $1,999 for Safety Cloud services on Fire Engine No. 1. Fire Chief Robert Campbell said the engine has the capability to send a signal to traffic apps like Waze to notify drivers of an emergency and that a truck is coming. Campbell said the signal is sent when the engine’s emergency lights are activated.

An agreement for $2,193 with First Arriving will provide digital dashboard integration for Fire Stations 1 and 2. Campbell said a digital monitor in the stations shows who is working that day and the status of vehicles. It also pulls information from the dispatch center for 911 call alerts.

In other action, the township will apply for a Summit County Community Grant for $10,000 to continue work on the North Fork Preserve’s triple-loop trail. Sinopoli said the township wants to lay down aggregate limestone to allow people to pass through wet areas of the two miles of trails and add culverts and pipes. ∞