Jefferson City Council approves police body cameras
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Jefferson City Council unanimously approved an agreement to lease body cameras for the police department at its Monday meeting.
The plan will cost around $420,000 for three-year agreement to lease the cameras. Jefferson City Police Department has been awarded $180,000 in federal grant funding that would be divided over three years.
However, the department is responsible for the remaining expenses, according to city documents.
Jefferson City has discussed body camera use on at least two separate occasions in the past. One time was when funding was being discussed and another was during a deadly Jefferson City police shooting investigation.
"Any of that equipment breaks down is replaceable under the lease agreement and easily replaced very quickly. So I feel very confident that we will have a very robust camera system that I think our department and our community deserve," Police Chief Eric Wilde said.
The council also approved a special exception permit for a commercial truck stop/travel plaza, which will be built in the area of Highway 50-63 and Militia Drive, a little east of Downtown Jefferson City.
New council members, as well as the new mayor, were sworn in during the meeting: Mayor Ron Fitzwater, Jeff Ahlers for Ward 1, Aaron Mealy for Ward 2, and Mark Schwartz for Ward 5. Incumbent Ward 3 Councilman Scott Spencer was also sworn in for another term.
