The Coaldale Police Department scored almost $70,000 in state grant money that it will use to modernize an outdated reporting system.

The award comes from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), which recently announced $80 million in grants across the state for improved crime reporting, upgraded equipment and crime victim support services.

“This significant grant will enable our department to continue delivering high-quality services to the community and stay on the forefront of 21st-century crime reporting standards,” Coaldale Police Chief Joseph Krebs said.

Krebs noted that he and Officer Kevin Soberick recently evaluated the department to assess needs.

“Following several initial improvements aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the department, it became evident that our reporting system was outdated and would soon fall out of compliance with modern crime reporting standards,” Krebs said.

And so, he and Soberick began researching grants. They found the PCCD offerings and applied.

Winners were announced last week, with Coaldale being the only department in Schuylkill County to receive an award.

“We were granted $69,535.00, which will allow us to implement a cutting-edge, cloud-based reporting system called ‘CODY,’ ” Krebs said. “This system will not only enhance our ability to gather and analyze crime statistics but will also ensure full compliance with the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), a key requirement for modern law enforcement agencies.”

As of Jan. 1, 2021, NIBRS became the national standard for law enforcement crime data reporting in the U.S. The data collected through NIBRS provides the ability to capture details on criminal incidents, including information on victims, known offenders, relationships between victims and offenders, arrestees and property involved in crimes.

The PCCD noted that Pennsylvania is well behind other states in fully utilizing NIBRS, making it challenging to accurately capture statewide and jurisdiction-specific crime trends.

It reported that less than half of Pennsylvania’s population is covered by a police department that is utilizing NIBRS and only 10% of local law enforcement agencies are reporting criminal statistics to the FBI through NIBRS. The grants will help law enforcement change that trend.

Krebs said he and Soberick are pleased that their efforts paid off.

“We are proud to be able to provide this asset to the community,” the chief said. “We are excited about the positive impact this system will have and are proud to bring these advancements to Coaldale.”