How can the Eau Claire Police Department afford NOT to have body cameras?
However, the Eau Claire Police Department will have to wait another 3 years. The City Council has eliminated the purchasing of those cameras from the current budget and won't be considered again until 2022. I find that unacceptable. The cost for the 100 cameras is roughly $230,000 with an additional $150,000 for maintenance and upkeep over the next four years. Plus, the department would need to develop a salaried position for training our officers.
To me that seems like a no-brainer investment.
Thanks to WQOW 18, I found this article by Samantha Wensel. There HAS to be something we can do. Car wash, bake sale, kissing booth, a community rummage sale, sell my plasma. Something. Anything. OK, maybe a bake sale is not quite the answer, but you know what I'm getting at. Maybe get the attention of Eau Claire City Council President Terry Weld and let him know how you feel.
We have all seen countless videos of what our brave and selfless police officers have to endure on a daily basis. There are not too many jobs where you put your life on the line every single minute of every single day. So, why are they not properly and completely equipped with everything possible?
Body cameras have made a HUGE difference in they way court cases are looked at and tried. It's no longer he said/she said - your word against mine. It is now on video. Plain as day. And yes, it works both ways. Remember the police officer that was caught on his own body camera, planting drugs at the scene? How about all the justified/unjustified shootings? The cameras tell the real story and ALL police officers should be equipped with them.