$4300 Spent in Purchases by the Louisa Police Department of 12 New Body and vehicle Cameras for force of 6 officers

LPD Officers to use the camera anytime they make contact with the public

Chief quoted that their use is intended for joint safety and legal insurance interactions between general public and local law enforcement officers. He said there will be one body cam per officer and one vehicle cam per police car for a total of 12.

Police Chief Greg Fugitt:  “We got the police body cameras to insure quality control when interacting with the public. If you have a complaint or dispute filed against a police officer, you now have video evidence to cover the police officer,” said Fugitt. “We first started researching and making inquiries about police body cameras in 2013 and put it in the 2014 budget, so it was a couple of year process.”

The total price cost tag of the WOLFOCM brand cameras was $4,292.94.

Fugitt admitted that there were some hesitation by some of his officers on the use of the body cameras.

“The younger police officers were pro camera, some of the older ones were old school and thought they would be a nuisance but now they love them and there’s no problem at all. The public does not seem concerned with the police body cameras, they’re used to being recorded anyway usually with dashboard cameras, but with dashboard cameras you’re limited in your field of view if something happens out of frame…

…There was a little bit of a learning curve. At first we tested two of them out, and then we developed procedures for the rest of them. So far they’ve haven’t been used in any major cases, but they have been useful with documenting some traffic stops and recording statements in the field,” Chief Fugitt said.

“Our police body camera policy is that the camera has to go on as soon as your police lights go on. Officers need to use the camera anytime they make contact with the public. This helps eliminate any frivolous lawsuits and if you have an officer that is involved in misconduct, the department has the evidence of the officer doing something they’re not supposed to be doing. It’s almost like having a supervisor with each police officer,” said Fugitt.