Primary navigation
15660 N Dallas Parkway #800, Dallas, TX 75248
Toll-Free: (800) 311-2656
Phone: (972) 361-0900
Fax: (972) 361-0901
mycountypaper.com
LeadsOnline leading police in Georgia and across the country to lawbreakers
LeadsOnline leading police to lawbreakers
Many police agencies are using the internet to apprehend criminals who sell items to pawn shops, and those operating precious metals shops and recycling centers.
By Elaine Rackley
August 10, 2011
Many police agencies are using the internet to apprehend criminals who sell items to pawn shops, and those operating precious metals shops and recycling centers.
The McDonough Police Department joined LeadsOnline eight months ago, said McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey. He said he learned of the program through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
"It allows us access not only to pawn shops, but precious metal shops," said Chief Dorsey. "It has been effective for us. We have cleared several burglaries in the City Square area (a subdivision located near downtown)."
LeadsOnline is the nation's largest online investigative system used by law enforcement across the country to solve crimes involving property theft, according to authorities. It also allows law enforcement to search not only across jurisdictional lines, but across the country to solve crimes. Each year, LeadsOnline is credited with helping law enforcement agencies recover millions of dollars in stolen goods and solving thousands of crimes, according to Lindsay Williams, director of communications for Leads Online.
McDonough Police Chief Dorsey said his department arrested a man who stole an item from McDonough, and pawned it at shop in neighboring Clayton County.
"We were able to trace it [through] LeadsOnline," said Dorsey. He would not disclose the type of item pawned because he said the case is still under investigation.
If someone pawns something in McDonough from anywhere in the United States, and that organization reports to LeadsOnline, McDonough police can get that information, said Dorsey.
The first six months of the city police agency's participation in LeadsOnline was funded through its Seized Asset Forfeiture Funds, said the chief. The next six months will be included in the city's general funds budget.
Elsewhere, the Henry County Police Department is working to obtain a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) to take part in the LeadsOnline program.
The JAG Program, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, according to Henry County Police Research & Development Specialist Kimberly Monast. The county police expect to know in September whether the agency will receive a JAG grant of $ 30,940.