SCALES task force helps in major crime investigations

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - Many may remember the police involved shooting from last year in Hastings, where a law enforcement partnership called SCALES played a major part in the criminal investigation.

SCALES stands for the South Central Area Law Enforcement Services, it’s a partnership between 16 agencies and Nebraska State Patrol.

In the case of the double murder suicide from Sunday morning, SCALES stepped in, with the Hastings Police Department as lead at the coordination of Captain Raelee Van Winkle. She said since SCALES started it’s grown and changed its approach to helping the 16 member agencies.

“SCALES first started as an organization to be able to assist in large scale events with manpower, with equipment, with personnel, with whatever their needs were,” Captain Van Winkle said, “Then it really morphed into training and then the ability to assist each other with these large scale investigations.”

Captain Jim Duering of Grand Island Police Department said no one wishes for crime to happen, but in the past SCALES has provided important training opportunities.

“Without desiring more crime, and keeping our people prepared for the next one being able to send our investigators to other jurisdictions and vice versa, I think it does a great job of getting that training and experience that everyone needs to handle these things appropriately,” Captain Duering said.

Captain Van Winkle explained that SCALES can be ready to go as soon as they’re needed.

“An amazing resource for all of these agencies to have, we can rely on each other,” Captain Van Winkle said, “It takes a phone call or a text message asking for resources or man power or whatever it is that we need.”

SCALES started in 2001, since then they have grown to 16 member agencies that stretch from Cozad all the way to Aurora.

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