In-car video coming to Ledyard police cars

Cost will be reimbursed through a state grant

Ledyard — New technology officially will be making its way into the town’s police cruisers.

Wednesday night, the Town Council approved a measure to finance the purchase of in-car video systems for the Ledyard Police Department.

The system would enable local police to record and store video of police encounters, which potentially could serve as evidence as well as protect the town and department from certain liabilities, Ledyard Chief of Police John Rich said.

Although the town would be paying the upfront cost of the project which is about $90,000 in total — the police department already has saved more than half that — ultimately that money would be fully reimbursed through a state grant program. This would leave the real cost of the project in the long run as mainly for maintenance for the technology.

“It’s always helpful from an evidentiary standpoint to see the action an officer is taking, and if that is already on video that is a great start,” Rich said while highlighting the role video could play in an investigation.

As an example, Rich told Town Council members of how in-car video could be used in a DUI arrest, potentially providing footage of erratic driving behavior, the stop itself and the in-field sobriety test.

Although since late last year, the town has taken several actions to cut costs in the face of a more than $1.6 million cut in state aid, and has issued a supplemental tax bill, the Town Council unanimously was in favor of the in-car video project not only because of the full reimbursement, but also because councilors feel the program would reduce risk to the town.

Bill Saums, chair of the Town Council Finance Committee, said the subject of adding in-car video as well as body cameras came before the committee several months ago. However, committee members decided to not move forward on that at the time because they were worried, among other things, about the eventual cost of replacing the equipment.

“The feeling this time with in-car

video is there is probably less maintenance associated with and more value to having it,” Saums said, adding that in the case of a horrible accident or some police incident where an officer is alleged to have done something wrong, the story really begins when a person picks up their phone and starts recording.

“My belief is we can protect the town from liability if we can start the story with recording it from the very beginning, as opposed to after something already happens,” he said.

Rich also agreed that the video could protect the town, as well as the police officers themselves, because the department could turn to the video if it receives a complaint.

Saums also said he expects the cost of storing data to decrease, and that the police department already stores video taken within the building, so some of the storage infrastructure already is in place.