Page 37 - PCPA Spring 2026 Bulletin Magazine

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
• Gathering Minimal Facts
• Talking to Children
• What Does Trauma Look Like?
Work is also moving forward on the
Animal Cruelty Investigations course. We
are collaborating with Humane Action
Pennsylvania and the Luzerne County
District Attorney’s Office to develop an
online training program for the PAVTN
library. PCPA will apply for this course to
receive 3 CLEE credits if used as a MIST
elective. We expect it to be completed
during the first quarter of the year.
In addition, we are partnering with MPOETC
to publish Control Tactics materials on the
PAVTN. Anyone with MPOETC-level access
will be able to review the content. This will
serve as a helpful refresher for officers seeking
information on defensive tactics. The course is
expected to be available by March.
The PAVTN now offers 118 training courses and
serves more than 37,000 users. Our goal at the
Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association is to
provide high-quality law enforcement training
that is available whenever it is needed. All
training on the PAVTN is free. You can access it
by visiting www.pavtn.net or by using the links
on the Association website.
Stay informed, stay prepared, and keep up the
excellent work.
Mobile Fingerprint Identification Devices
The association continues to administer
the Mobile ID project for Pennsylvania’s law
enforcement agencies. Mobile Fingerprint
Identification Devices are a great tool that
can increase productivity by helping officers
identify subjects in the field. At this moment
there are 280 units deployed by PA’s police
agencies. There is no cost for the agency to
acquire the unit. The annual fee is currently
$1,050.00 per unit. That fee covers the
system/device maintenance and the required
secure data connection. Additional details
SPRING 2026 BULLETIN
about the program and the application process
can be found on the PCPA website under the
Programs and Services Tab on the top of the
homepage, or at the address https://pcpa.
memberclicks.net/mobile-fingerprint-id.
Criminal Apprehension Technology
(CAT) Training
The Criminal Apprehension Technology (CAT)
Training Program is a $250,000.00 program
funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania
Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
• 3-day crime scene photography training
So far we have trained 55 officers from 24
police departments. In 2026 additional
training courses will be scheduled at various
locations in the state to minimize the need
for officers to travel. A total of 42 camera
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