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Peters Township Council OKs continuation of police body cameras

By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 2 min read
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Following a successful no-cost trial program for body-worn cameras during 2018, Peters Township Police Department has received funding to continue using the equipment for the next five years.

Township council voted unanimously Dec. 10 to award a $76,980 contract to Axon Enterprise Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., which will provide and maintain equipment, and replace it if necessary. The company produces the Taser and formerly was named for the line of electroshock weapons.

The money for the purchase is included in the municipality’s 2019 budget, according to township manager Paul Lauer. The spending plan, which does not call for a tax increase, is expected to receive council’s approval at its next meeting, Dec. 17.

“The equipment and the software have proved to be reliable,” Lauer said. “It’s already helped us in a couple of cases where police officers and the people they interact with have different recollections about what happened.”

Solicitor John Smith told council that he recently spoke with police Chief Douglas Grimes about the cameras.

“I asked him about these, and he said they’re crystal-clear,” Smith said. “The footage, everything was excellent on them.”

Council approved the trial program in November 2017 at the urging of Grimes, who at the time spoke about the technological capabilities the equipment could provide.

“They’re moving in a direction where this camera and this audio will, in effect, become your police report,” he said. “There will be no typing or writing of a report.”

Axon’s Body 2, the unit purchased by Peters Township, is equipped with unlimited high-definition video, advanced audio, Wi-Fi connectivity and security enhancements, according to the company. Features include a “full-shift” battery that powers the unit for 12-plus hours, a buffer that captures video up to two minutes before an event, and optional mute to disable audio with two-part consent.

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