Infra Red Camera Will Help Sheriff Department with Searches

Saying it will help save lives, Racine County Sheriff Chris Schmaling announced Tuesday that a businessman donated the money for a thermal imaging unit.

Doug Coleman, president of Coleman Tool & Manufacturing in Union Grove, gave the RCSO $6,300 for a command thermal imager camera and video recorder. 

According to a written release from the RCSO, the imager by FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) will help deputies find people who would otherwise be hidden. The Sheriff's office will make the camera available to community agencies when needed as well.

From the release:

Infrared light can penetrate smoke and fog better than visible light, revealing objectsthat are normally obscured and the infrared "glow" enables officers to locate in total darkness a personthat may be lost or hiding in a variety of envioronments such as, a wooded area, farmers field, building or home.

Schmaling will present Colemen with an appreciation certificate Thursday at Coleman Tool. There will also be a demonstration of how the FLIR works.

“I value this new technologically advanced tool and appreciate Mr. Coleman’s generosity," Schmaling said in the release. "This tool will undoubtedly save a life.”