Cheltenham Police Are Getting A State Grant. What Will It Be Used For?

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Cheltenham Township Police Department is one of 41 local police departments to receive a grant from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to enhance its digital photography capabilities.

The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association (PCPA) has teamed up with 41 local police departments across the Commonwealth to improve community safety.

With the support of a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, PCPA is leading the Criminal Apprehension Technology (CAT) Training program.

As part of this initiative, 41 selected police departments have been awarded a comprehensive digital camera kit valued at over $5,000 to assist in crime scene processing.

This grant also covers free training for two officers from each participating police department.

The training consists of an intensive three-day course teaching officers how to operate digital cameras for crime scene documentation manually.

At least seven training sessions will occur across the state, covering fundamental and advanced topics, including blood spatter documentation, Blue Star Ambient photography, laser track documentation, latent fingerprint imaging, and impression evidence collection.

The program blends lectures with practical exercises for hands-on learning.

The CAT Training program is one of many initiatives led by the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to foster a safer Pennsylvania.

The police department said the grant application was made consistent with our commitment to be as fiscally responsible as possible and to seek out alternate funding sources when available.

Three other Philadelphia regional police departments also received the grant: The Upper Dublin Township Police Department, the Falls Township Police Department, and the Morrisville Borough Police Department.