Sterling agrees to pay nearly $180,000 for police body cams

STERLING – The City Council agreed to pay nearly $180,000 for vehicle and body cameras for the police department.

The 26 body cameras – one for every uniformed officer on the force – will cost $108,485, the nine vehicle camera systems will cost $69,660. The total includes accessories, licensing, maintenance, training and video storage fees.

Grant should be available to pay all or part of the cost, which will be paid to Axon Enterprises inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona, over five years, city officials said.

With the passage of the Law Enforcement Reform Measures, the state will require all law enforcement agencies, no matter their size, to equip their officers with body cameras in three years. Sterling simply is getting a jump on the requirement, Mayor Skip Lee said at Monday’s meeting.

“Body-worn cameras do more than advance professionalism and accountability for the citizen and officer; they protect officers, organizations and municipalities against unsupported complaints or civil actions,” city staff wrote in the recommendation to buy the cameras.