Mich. Police Department Expands Body Camera System
The department will self-fund the ten new cameras at a total cost of $4,045.
After a successful trial period last year, Michigan’s Saginaw Police Department is ready to equip all of its city police officers with body cameras.
MLive reports that the city council approved the purchase of ten additional body cameras on Monday, which will be added to the department’s current set of 12 cameras.
Last year’s trial run, which started last summer, was so successful that the department is going to self-fund the $4,045.86 needed for the cameras. The previous 12 were funded through a federal grant.
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Police Chief Robert Ruth said the department has embraced the body cameras. “It gives accountability to the citizens and the police department,” he said.
Ruth said the 12 cameras were not enough to cover every officer on every shift because of the need to recharge the cameras, according to the report.
The body cameras have already helped resolve citizen complaints and been used to provide evidence in criminal cases. Ruth said, however, the officers cannot have the cameras on for their entire shift because of video storage limitations.
“They’ve been working out really well,” Ruth said. “I think this is one of the best things we have ever done.”
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