JONES COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Jones County’s most recent fatality brought to light a state-of-the-art piece of equipment now in the hands of Jones County Sheriff’s Office investigators for more complete, accurate and faster investigations of accidents and crime scenes.
The Faro 3D laser scanner is a state-ofthe- art scanner designed for ultra-high accurate measurements and on-site data capture.
Sheriff Butch Reece said the county was gifted the Faro scanner, and Deputy Chris Shurley said he received training to use it a month ago.
Shurley said the 3D scanner gives investigators measurements from incremental pictures that are taken at the scene. He said at an accident scene, pictures start with the first skid marks, and a yard stick is used in the picture for scale.
“It was originally for crime scenes, but it is capable of so much more,” he said. “This is a big step up for us. It’s top-end technology that will benefit us for years to come.”
When used in a building, the deputy demonstrated the scanner can give dimensions of the rooms, the building layout, everything inside and the position and relationship to everything in it.
All that information is available on a laptop computer for deputies or investigators.
Shurley said, in addition to measurements of the accident scene, the scanner can calculate items such as speed and crush force.
“Not many agencies have this, and we will be able to help other agencies,” he said. The deputy said the Gray Highway fatality was the third or fourth time the Faro scanner had been used by the JCSO.
Reece said he is learning its capabilities.
“We can use it at a trial to walk the jurors through the crime scene, and that is just the beginning,” he added.
