EASLEY — Easley police officers were singing the praise of their new Mobile Data Terminal system that has been implemented in the division over the past six months during Monday night’s Easley city council meeting.

The new system helps officers in the field have an immediate connection to records in the system.
The system allows officers to check a violator’s history immediately in the patrol car as soon as a stop is made. The system connects the officer to the station and immediately sends information to the court system.

The complete implementation of the system is expected to occur over a two-year period according to officials. The system makes response times faster and safer for the officers. It also makes tickets more legible and offers the ability to immediately check a subject for outstanding warrants. The system allows officers to do all paperwork right at the site of the offense, which translates into more officers on the streets.

Law enforcement information is maintained in a central database that allows easy integration with mapping, data analysis and field reporting tools, and provides customizable reporting features that produce professional and court-presentable documents. No data is ever stored in the field units that are mounted in Easley city police units.

In other business, city council also received an update on the Brushy Creek Greenway project that is slated to connect downtown Easley to the new Easley High School with a series of trails and bike paths. The project is expected to cost around $5.5 million and take five to ten years to complete.

A feasibility study is all but complete for building a greenway along Brushy Creek. A greenway will be a paved path used by pedestrians and bicyclists for transportation and recreation, and for enjoying nature.
The purpose of the feasibility study is to identify opportunities and constraints, to lay out an ideal route, and to determine the cost to build the greenway. The city of Easley, with consultants from Alta Planning and Design and Seamon Whiteside and Associates, hosted a public meeting on November 15 to discuss the Brushy Creek Greenway Feasibility Study and to hear input from local residents.

The feasibility study confirms the layout of the route and identifies potential challenges and solutions for the bicycle and pedestrian path. This includes confirming easements and looking for any permitting issues. Since the route would cross U.S. 123, the study considers preliminary options for a bridge or tunnel, which may be the focus of a future detailed engineering study and implementation.

The ity will be attempting to secure a grant for $100,000 from the South Carolina State Trail program. The first phase that the city hopes to complete is a portion from the new Easley High School to the J.B. “Red” Owens complex.

City council also voted to pursue a new 10-year lease for the property located at the Simpson Academy and to amend the city’s current employee policy manual to include a policy for inclement weather.