“The grant is basically just to buy equipment that both we and the lab personnel can use and to secure the lab,” he said.

A thermal imager is at the forefront of equipment which the department plans to invest in, Johnson said.

The handheld device can detect heat waves given off by human and animal bodies, as well as lights and other objects.

Thermal imagers vary between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on the make and model, but the East Lansing Police Department does not know what model it will purchase, Johnson said.

Nicole Lisabeth, a spokeswoman with the Michigan State Police emergency management and homeland security division, said federal guidelines about how the grant money can be spent exist, but the East Lansing Police Department retains significant flexibility.

Some students, such as premedical freshman Kirsten Selley, believe a thermal imager is not a wise use for the grant money.

“(The) money could go towards having more police officers on the force instead of constantly cutting back on police officers and then in turn, that would give people jobs,” Selley said.

Other students, such as supply chain management senior Ross Stavoe, feel the East Lansing Police Department has the right to use the money however it feels fit.

“Given the past incidents in the area, such as the arson that was committed several years ago against a lab on campus, it’s a necessary investment,” Stavoe said.

The thermal imager also can be used for purposes across the city other than securing the laboratory, Johnson said.

“(A thermal imager can) help locate missing persons, especially at night,” he said. “The more expensive models can go through walls.”

Selley said she questions whether or not the imager would be useful in locating suspects and missing persons. She warned it could be a potential invasion of privacy.

“It’s overstepping boundaries because there are laws that protect the public from certain things,” Selley said. “I feel like it’s just a way to get around a warrant and a way to get around probable cause.”

Stavoe said the imager would not necessarily be an invasion of privacy and depending on how it is used, it could be an important tool, especially for matters of security.

“How it’s used would determine if it’s an invasion of privacy or not,” he said. “If it’s merely used for security purposes to protect that building, then no, it’s not (an invasion of privacy).”