Allen Park Police Chief James Wilkewitz said at the July 14 city council meeting that the city will be using a grant and forfeiture funds to purchase body-worn and in-car camera systems and the supporting digital storage and software.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – A state grant and forfeiture funds will allow the Police Department to purchase a body-worn and in-car camera system, Police Chief James Wilkewitz said at the July 13 City Council meeting.
A Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships Grant from the state of Michigan for $82,868, combined with $25,963 from narcotic and operating while impaired forfeiture funds will allow the city to buy the equipment without drawing from the general fund.
The Watch Guard System includes the body and car cameras, in-car hardware, digital storage, redaction software, necessary peripherals and system training.
In a memo to the city council dated July 9, Wilkewitz said that the public’s demand for accountability and transparency from law enforcement agencies supports the decision to make the purchase.
The Watch Guard System is also used successfully by the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Police Department, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Dearborn Police Department.
Wilkewitz said the expense is balanced by the return on investment.
“This is invaluable in policing today,” he said in the memo. “As chief, I have been trying for several years to obtain grant funding for such a program, and I am thrilled that the state of Michigan has provided funding for a large portion of the project.”
Incoming Police Chief Chris Egan, who will become acting chief July 24, and full chief July 27, said he and Wilkewitz discussed the topic, and said he researched 12 possible systems.
“The Watchguard System, what makes it better than some of the other ones, is they focus strictly on the body cameras, so it is high resolution, good playback, with a lot of different options,” Egan said. “It is a great idea to show our transparency and to get our officers to where we want them to get for their protection and the city, as well as ours.”