Sioux City, Iowa, Council Mulls $1.6M Body-Worn Cameras Pact

(TNS) — The Sioux City Council will be asked Monday to approve a nearly $1.6 million master services and purchasing agreement with an Arizona technology and weapons products company for in-car cameras, body-worn cameras and other equipment.

REX MUELLER

During a February Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget session, Police Chief Rex Mueller told the council his department's body-worn cameras are "already failing." The department's current vendor for body-worn cameras is Getac, Inc.

"The batteries on board the body-worn, we're starting to experience issues with those. But the thought was that we would replace all of these devices at the same time, which is why this is coming forward," Mueller said at that time.

POLICE DIVERSITY

On Sept. 9 , the council authorized city staff to enter into negotiations with AXON Enterprises, Inc., of Scottsdale, Arizona, for body-worn cameras, in-car cameras, as well as interview room and ASAP (Alcohol Safety Action Program) office equipment. That total cost of the proposed equipment replacement project is $1,587,225.69.

The existing in-car cameras were purchased more than five years ago, and the body worn cameras were purchased more than three years ago. The maintenance agreement for the equipment is five and three years, respectively. Since the expiration of the agreements, all repairs and/or replacement of equipment is at full cost to the department, according to city documents.

AXON was the preferred vendor because of its capabilities and features, as well as its ease of use for officers.

"AXON's use of cutting-edge technology increases the efficiency in the areas of searching and reviewing video and especially redaction and processing. Due to changes in open records laws, there has been a significant increase in video requests which require redaction of both audio and video," the documents stated. "The current capabilities which the department possesses requires a labor-intensive process involving multiple staff members to fulfill these requests."

Funding for the equipment replacement will come from the CIP, which has an available balance of $1,676,288.54 for the project.

If the council decides not to approve the agreement, it could authorize the city to begin negotiations with Midwest Public Safety LLC , of Decatur, Illinois, for the purchase of equipment from Getac, Inc.

Cameras have been present in Sioux City Police Department squad cars since the mid-1990s, but body-worn cameras create additional transparency when officers move outside their cars. The city had considered implementing body-worn cameras for several years, vetting different models and taking public input. A few months after a few thousand Siouxlanders signed a pro-body camera petition in the spring of 2020 around the time of George Floyd's death, the council green-lighted the purchase of body-worn cameras. Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer.

In August 2020, the council unanimously voted to approve buying 120 Getac body-worn cameras and awarded a $260,861 purchase order to Midwest Public Safety LLC for the cameras. Included in the cost was the hardware and software needed to integrate the system with 37 patrol cars and equipment necessary to operate and maintain it. The city's police officers began wearing the cameras that fall.

"As time has passed, many technological advancements have occurred in the police video environment which enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of documentation of evidence and day-to-day citizen interactions with officers," city documents stated.

Cameras have been present in Sioux City squad cars since the mid-1990s, but body cameras create additional transparency when officers move outside their cars.

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