Freeport has a small town feel, but the potential for big city problems.

The town is surrounded by Dow Chemical, the Port of Freeport and petroleum-oil reserves.

“All those things tied together is a huge responsibility,” Freeport Police Chief Jeff Pynes said.

That’s because those great assets could lead to great disasters.

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The police department is investing in high-dollar equipment, such as the new integrated communication system that ensures all law enforcement agencies responding to a disaster would be able to communicate on one radio frequency and strategize a solution.

Another investment is the heat sensor.  It helps find suspects hiding in the case of a manhunt. 

“Law enforcement has changed here since 9-11, and we look at things a lot different,” Lt. Allen Lawson said.

But some things haven’t changed. The department still devotes attention to small problems, like graffiti.

A new motion-activated video system will help fight that battle.

It sends videos to police officers in the area when graffiti is sprayed, giving the officer a description of the suspect before he even arrives at the scene.

The systems will be installed in secret locations around town. 

And the best part is, the money to pay for all these gadgets is coming from the criminals themselves.

“From drug deals that we confiscate and seize money from,” Lawson said.