Lanesborough Police Implementing Body Cameras with State GrantBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Thursday, October 19, 2023 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town's police will join several other Berkshire communities using body cameras.
On Monday, Police Chief Robert Derksen told the Select Board that the department received a nearly $40,000 grant for the initial purchase and implementation of the surveillance devices.
"The money we were awarded will cover the program but obviously moving forward next budget year and beyond, there is going to be software and storage fees, things like that," he said.
The town will be looking at roughly $3,500 yearly for software storage, though estimates are still being collected. The grant covers the initial purchase and first year of body cameras.
To answer calls for law enforcement accountability and transparency, other county communities such as Dalton, Great Barrington, North Adams and Pittsfield have implemented body-worn camera programs and Adams is preparing to. Police chiefs have said the cameras also aid the officers when working with the public.
The $39,700 award was a part of the Healey-Driscoll administration's $3.6 million package to 52 local police departments for body-worn camera programs. The Adams Police Department received more than $110,400 in this round, the Hinsdale Police Department over $52,600, and the North Adams Police Department over $21,000.
The Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Program is in its third year and awarded $3.6 million to municipal police agencies during fiscal 2024.
The grant requires the Select Board to engage the police union to determine if there will be any additional compensation or conditions for the body camera program.
Selectman Timothy Sorrell, former police chief, commented that this will hopefully save money on civil lawsuits and asked if there are any grant opportunities to pay for storage costs. Derksen did apply for a federal grant through the Department of Justice, though he hasn't received an answer on it.
The chief is not worried about the cost because the $40,000 will surely cover the purchase of the equipment.
He is looking into a five-year program for the cameras that replaces them once during the duration, meaning that they should be in good shape during that period.
A two-hour training will be required this year and could lead to a discount on the department's insurance.
During the meeting, the resignation of part-time police officer Joshua Tracy was announced, as Tracy took a full-time job with the town of Lee. The department is now down to three part-time officers, all three of whom are Cheshire officers.
Derksen said he would support a pitch to residents during the next budget cycle to see if they would authorize additional full-time officers. He pointed out that the department was once authorized for 10 part-time officers.
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