Columbia City Council approves purchase of new in-car cameras for police
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia City Council on Monday night unanimously approved a new contract with Axon for a new suite of technology products CPD already uses. According to CPD's 2024 annual surveillance report, much of the current technology the department uses is outdated.
The approval will cost the city $211,451 from forfeiture funds and $375,291 from general funds. The contract for the first year will cost $633,141.86 and then $654,776.46 each year after, the council memo says. The contract would automatically renew, unless the city gives a notice of nonrenewal.
"While money is certainly a factor, there's also something to be said for having an ecosystem of technology that can work together very seamlessly to provide this higher level of accountability," Police Chief Jill Schlude told council members Monday night.
The package includes upgrades to the department's in-car camera technology and a new video storage system. The purchase of the Axon Fleet 3 would allow for in-car camera technology with automated license plate recognition that would help police identify stolen vehicles and find wanted suspects.
CPD says the technology does not capture identifiable images of people or their faces. Currently, there are two mounted automatic license plate readers in CPD vehicles, according to the report.
The purchase will also allow CPD to expand the amount of time and the way it stores large amounts of video. CPD will move toward a cloud-base storage system for all digital evidence. The council memo states the department's current servers are at the end of their expected lives.
Ward 5 Councilman said he found the use of the funding to be well worth it for the city.
"I think it'll just be a tool that lets police be a little more efficient," Waterman said. "And, if that means they get to spend more time and on patrol then yes, it will help."
CPD held several public meetings in March to allow the public to hear about the new technology. Police Chief Jill Schlude had previously told ABC 17 News the improvements would help save officers time and improve efficiency.
The Axon Signal Technology purchase also makes it so officers in-car and body-worn cameras will automatically turn on when an officer draws their gun. The memo also states that it will "automatically activate in-car and body-worn cameras when officers draw their weapons, activate emergency lights, or exit their vehicles in high-risk situations. This automation reduces the risk of human error, ensures critical incidents are captured, and reinforces accountability."
Darryl Smith used to be on the Columbia Citizens Police Review Board. Smith said he thinks that addition is a good thing for both police and the public's safety.
"Anytime there is a use of force there should be some type of recording when it's practical," Smith said. "It's not realistic to expect an officer to be able to reach down and activate their camera when it's a time of you know, life safety...you got to solve the problem."
There will also be an $18,600 for the rest of the fiscal year -- which runs through September -- for cell service for the devices. The cell service will cost $37,200 each year after.
The technology should be fully up and running within 90 to 120 days.
Roy Lovelady attends final council meeting as councilman
The Columbia City Council also said goodbye to one of its council members Monday night.
Roy Lovelady attended his final meeting, after serving as the Ward 3 councilman for the last two and a half years. Jacque Sample is running unopposed for the seat. Lovelady said he was grateful for his time representing the third ward.
"I would say my last two years serving has been very eventful. I learned a lot. I grew a lot, and most of all, I wanna tell Columbia thank you for allowing me to serve the third ward," Lovelady said.
