Manville: Right time to pursue police body, in-car cameras
SOUTHBURY — The town’s police once had a few body cameras, but they became too expensive to keep in use.
Now, Southbury looks to purchase 24 police bodyworn cameras and 12 vehicle cameras.
Southbury First Selectman Jeffrey Manville said he believes it is the right time for Southbury to make the move for multiple reasons. The main factor is the state law — the Connecticut Police Accountability Act passed in 2020 — that requires all police departments to have body cameras and in-car video cameras installed by
“While it helps with transparency for the public, it also will show when something does happen our officers are acting appropriately.” Southbury First Selectman Jeffrey Manville
July 1, 2022.
“I believe the cameras are a good thing for the public and for the police, especially in this day and age when everyone has a cell phone and recording device in their pocket,” Manville said. “While it helps with transparency for the public, it also will show when something does happen our officers are acting appropriately.”
Manville said Southbury purchased “a few” police body cameras in 2014.
“But due to the storage cost and other factors they were not used very long,” he said. “Those cameras are outdated now and unuseable. There has been new development in storage and cameras that have reduced the expense so that it is more manageable now.”
The town is seeking proposals from law enforcement camera system service providers to purchase the cameras and in-car video system services.
Proposals need to be submitted to the office of the first selectman by Dec. 20, according to the request on the town’s website. The town is asking for proposals for a cloud-only based camera solution that equips vehicles and assigned police officers
with cameras. The goal of the camera program is to increase officer accountability and trust with the citizens of Southbury.
The Southbury Police Department involves primary patrol services and participates in the Connecticut Resident State Trooper Program.
Manville said 2014 wasn’t the right time to purchase body cameras.
“Back then, there were so many styles of body cams and the video storage was the most expensive component,” he said. “There was even one style where an officer would wear the camera on their head, but we went with the body cams. There is never a perfect system. But cameras and the storage system have evolved to the point where it makes sense to get them now.”
The town seeks the cost of the equipment and services for the 24 body cameras, 12 in-car video cameras and in-camera installation, camera accessories (mounts, collars, etc.), docking stations, offsite data storage (cost per GB), price for hardware maintenance and support and software maintenance and support, and hourly rate for training services.
Applicants should provide vehicle installation plans and instructions in case the town decides it will do its own camera system installations.
The contract period for the camera services will start by July 1, 2022 and the contract term is expected to be for five years.
“We will also be looking into any state funding available that might help offset the cost of the cameras and the camera services,” Manville said. “When the state law was first passed the state was giving grants for this, but I believe that has been used up.
“If there is no funding available, we have it all covered with enough money already earmarked for what we believe the cost will be.”
Two finalists will be selected to the cameras, as well as any required equipment, for a four-week evaluation period. During this period, cameras will be deployed in field conditions for police officers to use and evaluate. The final provider will be selected at the end of the evaluation period.
Footage from body cameras could help exonerate cops in certain cases, Manville said.
“It’s not a bad thing,” he said. “Sometimes when a (public) video is posted on the internet it doesn’t show the whole truth, the whole story like a police body cam would show. One thing that is important to law enforcement is their integrity, and that is something a police body cam would validate.”