I mean really …

Gloucester County officials have purchased an aerial digital imagery system to assist with public safety and emergency response.

Pictometry, purchased for $84,030 and paid for by the state Public Safety Answering Point grant, is similar to Google Earth.

Similar to Google Earth?

Pictometry’s high-resolution digital aerial images will provide a virtual image of every square foot of the county, according to a release. The system will also allow the county to automatically calculate acreage or square footage, review properties for planning rights of way and easements and review properties for additions, new construction and permits prior to field visits.

Innocuous enough.

“For police, if you have to execute a high-risk warrant at a house, now you can look at the property,” county emergency response coordinator Tom Butts said. “You can look at the doors and windows, outbuildings and know if there’s a doghouse. There are all kinds of safety things you can glean from this information that will be helpful.”

Currently, when an address is entered into the system, a map will come up allowing the dispatcher to look at streets and give the responding agencies directions. With Pictometry, not only will a map come up, but also a photo of the house from various angles, said Butts.

Sounds like quite the technological advantage. I could only imagine how easy it would be to seize an “illegal arsenal” with something like that on your side.