By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Decatur police officers will take a deep step into the modern world sometime early next year when they become equipped with body cameras.
City council, at its recent meeting, unanimously approved an addition of $46,250 from federal ARPA pandemic relief funds to add to $63,096 already in the department’s 2025 budget “to get the program off the ground,” Police Chief Kevin Gerber said.
Gerber told WZBD.com that he hopes to have the cameras on all city officers sometime in the early portion of 2025.
The department is entering into an agreement – subscription plan, some call it – with a company on a five-year plan to provide all essentials for the program.
It will cost the city approximately $72,000 a year, a total of $361,730 over the five years.
“That will cover all the equipment, storage, warranty, everything,” Gerber explained.
The company will also update all cameras after the first three years they are in use.
In addition to each officer getting a body camera, each officer’s car will get a new camera system tied into the body camera.
One of crucial elements of the program is the storage space provided by the company. The storage will hold all the camera footage for a designated number of years.
“We don’t have enough storage space, most cities do not,” Mayor Dan Rickord said.
“I believe it’s beyond the time to do this,” Gerber said of the body cameras at a September council meeting. “Our officers want them, the public wants them.”
Mayor Rickord was in agreement. “We’re a rarity in not having body cameras (for officers),” he said. “We’ve seen just recently in Fort Wayne how they have been good to have.
“It’s all about accountability and liability.”
The police chief has pointed out how the cameras could prove helpful to the city in the event of any lawsuits. He also noted how they would provide solid assistance in investigations.
Councilman Matt Dyer asked if funds from the Betty Walters estate could be used. Gerber said he had other plans for that money.
Walters, who died several years ago, left a substantial amount of money to be used by the police and fire departments in Decatur.
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