Lockport police getting 14 more body cameras
Jul. 20—The funds for 14 body-cameras were awarded to the Lockport Police Department at a recent Common Council meeting at the price of two installments of $10,600 over the next two years.
The original price for the cameras, and 16-holsters and cables supporting the cameras, was closer to $30,000 except that the LPD already had a continuing contract, said Finance Director Tim Russo, with Axon Enterprise Inc., since 2019 when all patrol officers were issued body-cameras. The company was also involved in installing cameras on police vehicles, both on the dash and into the backseat of Lockport patrol cars.
The newest batch of cameras will go to the detectives, captains and other administrators including Lockport Police Chief Steve Abbott.
Abbott said Axon was a leader in the field.
At the July 13 meeting, 2nd Ward Alderman Luke Kantor asked Russo whether there would be a yearly cost for these cameras.
"What is the reoccurring annual cost for the data storage on those?" Kantor asked. "Is it going to be another $10,600 every year?"
"There will be next year," Russo said. "With this contract."
Mayor Michelle Roman noted at the meeting that the amount would cover all 50 of the body-cameras possessed by the department.
The money for the cameras was taken out of the city's contingency, which were part of the general fund. Since January, more than $25,000 has been taken out of the contingency fund, leaving its remainder at $306,000 as of the July 13 meeting.
Each of the body-cameras will be assigned to a member of the police department and will be secured by magnetic mount on the officer's vest.
Abbott said that the cameras go a long way in transparency.
"I believe they help more than hurt," Abbott said, noting that both the mayor and the Common Council have always allocated his department both training and equipment when needed.
"They've been fantastic," he said.
Abbott noted that multiple cameras at the scene of a crime tell a better story than just one. He said any one video might show a particular angle that could lead to one conclusion, but having two or more cameras gave a more complete picture of what actually happened. He believed the stories told by these cameras will create a better "understanding" between the department and the community.
"That's not just transparency," he said. "It's the understanding, like what you're given in the riding along program."
