© Provided by Rockford WIFR-LDA generic picture of police body camera. (Source: WECT)
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The Rockford Finance and Personnel Committee approved a contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc., for the purchase of body worn cameras and a digital evidence management system for the Rockford Police Department on Monday night.
In June 2020, Mayor McNamara asked the citizen led Community Relations Commission to study the effectiveness of body worn cameras while simultaneously asking the City's Finance, Police, Information Technology and Legal departments to begin the process of providing body cameras to all sworn police officers. In conjunction with a recommendation to advance body worn cameras by the Community Relations Commission, staff published a request for information, followed by a request for proposals, according to the city of Rockford.
"Body worn cameras are critically important to our community and police department," Mayor Tom McNamara said. "I am hopeful that the implementation of these cameras this summer will help increase transparency between officers and the community."
The cost of the five-year contract is $3,384,781. The contract will go to the full Rockford City Council next week for approval.
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