Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Item No: 7E <br />Meeting Date: December 14, 2015 <br />Type of Business: Council Business <br />Administrator Review : ____ <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Thomas Kinney, Chief of Police <br />Item Title/Subject: Resolution 8490 to Approve the Purchase of Two In-Car <br />Squad Camera Recording Systems <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />The police department has used in-car squad camera systems for several years. The <br />in-car camera systems have proven invaluable in recording traffic stops and traffic <br />violation arrests, most notably DWI incidents. <br /> <br />The value in equipping squad cars with video camera systems includes: <br /> <br />• Enhancing officer safety <br />• Recording an unbiased and accurate version of the officer contact with the public <br />• Assisting in the investigation of conduct violations and personnel complaints <br />• Promoting positive officer behavior and compliance with policies and procedures <br /> <br />The department currently has camera systems installed in seven line squad cars <br />leaving just one squad vehicle without such a camera system. <br /> <br />The department plans to purchase two additional in-car camera systems so as to outfit <br />the one remaining vehicle with a camera and to gradually begin an updated <br />replacement of our current aging camera systems. <br /> <br />The police department has budgeted $10,000 in 2015 for the purchase of two squad <br />camera systems. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> <br />The in-car camera systems currently in use are from Digital Ally and function through <br />the use of a memory card that requires manual downloading to a desktop computer at <br />the station office. This process can take considerable time to complete. These existing <br />camera systems have presented some maintenance issues over the years. In addition, <br />the Digital Ally price does not include the wireless data feature. As a result, the Digital <br />Ally model, while somewhat lower in cost, is not the recommended system by staff. <br /> <br />Many new camera system models now offer a wireless transfer of video data once the <br />camera system is within range of the city Wi-Fi. This is the preferred method of data <br />transfer, which is being offered in the Watch Guard system pricing below. Departmental <br />staff has also had an opportunity to demo the Watch Guard system and believe this is <br />the best choice.