Local police departments are taking more steps toward tracking stolen lap top computers.

After spending the day in a Lojack for Laptops training session, officers from the Troy Police Department, Troy University Police and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, now have one more way to assist in locating stolen computers.

But, in order to use the program, Troy Police Captain Jimmy Ennis said the victims must already have the Lojack software installed on their computers.

“The victim would report the stolen computer to police, then they would contact Lojack, who would start the investigation,” Ennis said. “Then when that computer goes online, they are able to track it, and we would go and pick it up.”

Ennis was one of the key players in bringing the program to Troy University’s campus Tuesday. The university and the Regional Organized Crime Information Center also sponsored the program.

Public Information Officer Sgt. Benny Scarbrough said the Troy Police Department will be working with this program to help find stolen computers, especially with university students.

“We’ll be using this as a tool in our neighborhood watch programs and working with Troy University and students and encouraging them to use this software,” Scarbrough said.

Jennifer Bramlett, regional recovery manager for Absolute Software who led the seminar, said the program is available to anyone who wishes to purchase it for $39 a year.

“Once the computer is stolen, we are able to provide law enforcement with leads on the whereabouts of the stolen computer,” Bramlett said. “And many times, more significant crimes are uncovered through it.”

Ennis said other officers from Monroeville, Andalusia, the Ethics Commission, and state department fire marshals.