CHENEY – A proposal to purchase body cameras for the Police Department was tabled for the next City Council meeting due to questions over funding.
The total, including 16 new tasers, would cost the City $182,763 and be billed as a “discretionary request.”
The need for body cameras arose from policing reforms handed down from the state because of the national spotlight on alleged police brutality.
According to the new requirements, officers need to record interviews with all witnesses and victims, and any interaction with juveniles.
State officials believe the cameras will provide transparency and improve safety for first responders.
“While they didn’t come out and mandate body cameras, they came about as close to that as they could,” Chief John Hensley said.
Councilman Paul Schmidt raised concerns over hidden costs and funding sources.
“I’d sure like to get the numbers with regards to what our budget impacts would be with this significant change in policing policy,” he said.
The purchase is under a time crunch, due to manufacturing shortfalls.
The order needs to be placed by Oct. 1.
Hensley said officers need to be trained on the equipment and operating with it by the end of the year.
In related business, the council approved a resolution to purchase 16 new Axon tasers for the Police Department.
The department’s current tasers are more than five years old and beyond their life expectancy, officials said. That can result in malfunctions that could place an officer’s life in jeopardy.
“Our current X-26 tasers are obsolete, they don’t have parts for them anymore,” Hensley said. “If they were to be broken or if they were to malfunction for some particular reason, we’d have to go out and buy the next version of them.”
The City Council is expected to resume discussion on body cameras during its Sept. 28 meeting.
Scott Davis can be reached at [email protected]
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