INDIANAPOLIS — Officials with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department unveiled a major expansion of their in-car camera program on Wednesday.
In all, IMPD will install two cameras in 700 marked squad cars. One camera will face the front and the second will show the back seat.
“These new cameras will build upon the transparency of our police department,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “We hope that these cameras will help strengthen the bridge of trust between the community and our officers.”
In this year’s IMPD budget, $591,000 was allocated as a yearly expense to enhance body worn cameras, as well as the department’s in-car camera program. This includes the purchase and installation of 700 in-car camera systems.
This comes after the department rolled out body-worn cameras for officers in 2020, a news release regarding the rollout said.
“What’s really good about this is it’s a stable platform,” IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said. “You’ve seen our body cameras in the past. Officers are moving, so sometimes those views are obstructed.”
The installation process began in July. The cameras will always be in a standby state and ready to record. Video and audio recording can be activated manually, by lights/sirens, computer-aided dispatch or holster sensors. The video recording also includes a 30 second pre-record feature.
Each marked police vehicle is expected to have two in-car cameras, including a forward-facing camera that captures the view of the officer’s perspective, as well as an interior backseat camera that documents the actions and behaviors of individuals in the backseat
The total investment included the purchase of 1,400 cameras to outfit 700 vehicles., supplementing the 25 vehicles and eight transport vans that were already equipped with in-car cameras. The initial rollout is prioritizing traffic and district cars.
Because some older police cars require additional wiring, the chief did not give an exact timeline for installing all the in-car cameras.
The chief also hopes the technology will foster trust with the community.
“We think adding these will add value and context for the public to make decisions about officer’s actions,” Bailey said.
Jesse Wells contributed to this report.
SOURCE: CBS4 News