$39K in Drug Money Buying Manchester Police New Equipment

The  unanimously voted to support the purchase of training and investigative equipment, vehicle accessories and fitness equipment at the cost of $39,000.

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The money would come from the city's asset forfeiture account.

"It's seized from people that are engaged in drug trafficking," Manchester Police Chief Tim Walsh tells Patch. "It's asset forfeiture expenditures. It isn't city funds that are being expended. We're just explaining to he board what we're planning to do with the money."

To view the items the police department plans to purchase, see the agenda included in this article (Section 10b).

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Walsh said the purchase will include ballistic riot helmets, field ID equipment, firing range training equipment, new tasers and traffic accident reconstruction equipment.

Walsh said one of the most significant purchases will be a machine that creates police engagement scenarios.

"It's for the safety and security of the community," Walsh tells Patch. "Clearly it has to  do with training. It's basically decision making," Walsh said. "There are scenarios. It's video where we interact with the video using either a gun or mace or a taser and then the officer would react. It's much better training than standing there and shooting at a piece of paper. It requires the officers to make some decisions."