Texas Agency Deploys Leica 3-D Laser Scanner for Crime Scene Investigation

Citing its ability to enhance criminal prosecutions while reducing investigation time, Bexar County Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz introduced his agency's new Leica Geosystems ScanStation C10 to an audience that included local law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney's office.

The Leica Geosystems ScanStation C10 is an easy-to-use, compact, portable 3D laser scanner that can capture 50,000 measurement points per second out to a range of 900 feet. The system also features an internal digital camera for panoramic photography. The technology is used by law enforcement agencies all over the world for crime scene investigations, vulnerability and threat assessments, post-blast investigations, police action inquiries, accident investigations, and more.

San Antonio-based Bexar County Sheriff's Department is the first police agency in Texas to deploy the latest generation Leica ScanStation C10, although other Texas law enforcement agencies have deployed previous generation Leica 3D laser scanners. A Leica ScanStation was used to document the complex crime scene last November at Fort Hood where a gunman killed 12 and injured 31.

Sheriff Ortiz stated that the Leica ScanStation "greatly enhances the investigation of the crime scene and aids in the prosecution of the offender. Countless hours of investigative time will be saved by the automation at the crime scene instead of having to manually sketch the scene."

"In addition to CSI, public safety agencies are recognizing that scanning can also be a powerful homeland security tool to aid with the prevention, protection against, response to, and recovery from terrorist acts" said Tony Grissim, Public Safety & Forensic Account Manager for Leica Geosystems. "The heavy traffic we are seeing on our forensic Website at www.leica-geosystems.com/us/forensic tells us that interest in our solution is keen."