The City of Springfield is working to equip all Springfield Police Department officers with body cameras. City manager, Jason Gage, updated Springfield City Council on the process Monday.
Gage said the cameras will be funded with so-called “pothole funds.” Those are 1/4-Cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax funds under “minor neighborhood improvements,” according to Gage.
The cost to purchase 240 body-worn cameras—one for each Springfield police officer—is $612,000 for the first year, which includes maintenance and licensing. The cameras have a five-year life, and would cost around $112,000 for each of the next four years before new ones would have to be purchased.
Renee Goodwin, whose 22-year-old son, Jalen Goodwin, died in Springfield Police custody in 2016, told city council she feels it’s important to be able to see what law enforcement is doing.
"I think it's very important to have that transparency and that accountability. And a lot of people in the community are wanting that to where we could have, you know, transparency from our law enforcement," she said.
Gage said additional costs will be required for two new staff members in the police department and for a legal technician for the municipal court. He told council the city will need to eventually find an ongoing funding source for the cameras.
He expects to ask council to vote on purchasing the cameras in about three months.
