Bend Police 3D laser scanner takes precise measurements, creates crime-scene diagrams, saving officers hours

(Update: Adding video, comments from Bend Police)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --  An $80,000 3D laser scanner is helping Bend police with investigations at major crime scenes, providing greater accuracy while freeing officers for other duties. 

The Bend Police Department has several tools in their disposal when it comes to major crime scenes, such as a laser scanner. It has been used in instances such as the Safeway shooting.

"In the past, when we went into a scene, we would have to physically measure a scene on a tape measure from one wall to another," Canyon Davis, BPD crime scene investigator, said Tuesday. "It would have required two people, and we'd measure chairs, tables and all the different locations of the evidence. This would take sometimes hours to complete a basic hand-drawn diagram."

The scanner, called the Leica RTC360, provides a digital 3D diagram of a scene, showing measurements and dimensions.  

It's used at major crime scenes, usually involving a death, or crashes. 

The Bend Police Department has been using the laser scanner for about four years.

In addition to the Safeway shooting in August of 2022, where three people died, the scanner was used last month in the attempted murder case on southwest Arrow Wood Drive, in which a Bend man is accused of hitting his roommate with a baseball-bat.

Davis said, "This instrument does all that work for us, and the instrument measures far more precisely and accurately than we could hold the tape measure to."

The scanner can detect measurements out to about 100 yards, whether it's daytime or nighttime, in any type of weather. 

When a scan of one area is completed, the data shows up on the tablet, and then investigators move to another section.

In a single year, it may be used 10-20 times, helping officers use their time more efficiently in the field. 

Davis said, "If you're going to do math at the scene, this is the device you want to use. Whereas drones, they take a great example visually of the scene. But they're not great for taking measurements and things like that."

Along with Bend Police, the Oregon State Police and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office also use this type of 3D laser scanner.