On August 2, AREVA donated two 3-D scanners to one of Virginia’s regional law enforcement “crash teams.” The equipment will make it possible for officers to capture the conditions of crime or accident scenes in digital 3-D environments. This functionality can aid in determining such information as vehicle speed and trajectory.
AREVA used the equipment and the 3-D models it generated from the data for such tasks as component replacement or other plant modification projects. Interference analysis and design studies can be staged virtually in a computer-aided design (CAD) environment. This type of project planning utilizing the 3-D data collected by the laser scanners minimizes project costs and risks while achieving accuracy.
Law enforcement agencies increasingly use this type of scanner to enhance their forensics capabilities. The biggest obstacle for most agencies is the cost to acquire them. This equipment is valued at more than $70,000.
“This generous donation by AREVA has afforded us with an opportunity to acquire technology and equipment that we would never be able to afford on our own,” said Captain Jim Bennett of the Bedford Police Department and Leader of the Central Virginia Regional Crash Team, one of the jurisdictions that will be utilizing the equipment. “These scanners will enhance our capabilities to reconstruct traffic crashes as well as crime scene investigations. Our team is very excited about the potential to acquire the laser scanners and to start incorporating them into our work.”
The Central Virginia Regional Crash Team works very closely with the James River Regional Crash Team which is comprised of the Lynchburg Police Department, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Amherst County Sheriff’s office and the Virginia State Police.
“AREVA is committed to the communities in which we do business,” said Chief Operating Officer Michael Rencheck. “This is another example of our efforts to be a good corporate citizen and to give back to our community.”
For more information, check out the coverage by the Lynchburg News & Advance, local news WGBJ and a story from WSET.
