Roy Griggs and other local business people have joined together as the Concerned Business People of Shreveport.
This group made a donation of $100,000 to the Shreveport Police Department to help fund the purchase of body cameras for Shreveport police officers. The fund now has more than $125,000.
The type of body cameras and total cost has yet to be determined. Focus SB reached out to other area law enforcement agencies that were currently using the body cameras.
Cindy Chadwick, of the Caddo Sheriff’s Office, advised as follows:
“The department has 110 systems purchased from Watch Guard at a cost of $900,000. We started using them in 2019. All CPSO patrol personnel below the rank of lieutenant are issued body cams. That’s 72 systems. In answer to your question about retention of video, we keep ours for the remainder of the year plus one additional year.”
Traci Landry with the City of Bossier advised as follows:
“In 2015, the Bossier City Council approved $100,000 in funding for a body worn camera study for the Bossier City Police Department. The full program was implemented in 2016.
“Today, BCPD has 174 L3 brand body-worn cameras that are in active use.
“The cameras that are issued now cost approximately $500 each. The Bossier City Police Department currently has two yearly maintenance contracts totaling just under $107,000 that covers the software and hardware, including in car cameras dashboard cameras, body-worn cameras and servers.
“All uniformed police officers are required to equip themselves with a body-worn camera prior to their shift.
“Per state statute on records and our policy, recordings are kept for three years with the exception of criminal cases which may be kept on file longer depending on the case status.
Jonathan Ponder, with the Shreveport City Marshal’s Office. provided the following:
“In 2015, the Marshal’s Office provided body cameras for all full-time POST deputies and had some spare body cameras. We currently have 21 full-time POST deputies and six spare body cameras. The spare body cameras are used for reserve deputies and or to substitute a body camera that needs to be repaired.
“Originally, each body camera cost $539.10 and now the price is $599.
“We pay for a yearly service contract. The 2018 yearly service contract was $5,976.
“We also had to buy a server for the devices.
“Recordings are maintained for at least three years in accordance to statue. So far we have a big enough server to maintain the recordings much longer. The server will only start writing over recordings once it is full and only the recordings that are older than three years. There is an exception, once a recording is ‘marked,’ the recording is maintained forever. We also record the ‘marked’ recording on DVD.”
The Bossier City Marshal’s office has them for nine street deputies, for the past five years. They hope to expand the program and replace some of the cameras. All records are kept indefinitely.
Bill Davis with the Bossier Sheriff’s Office provided the following:
“Does BPSO have these? Yes.
“If so, how many and what brand? Bossier Sheriff’s Office has 109 WatchGuard body cameras.
“Who wears body cams? All patrol deputies and school resource officers are outfitted with body cameras.
“How long are recordings maintained from body cams? Retention times can vary based on the case, but the BSO policy spells out the details; I’ve attached the policy.
“What was the cost of the cams? $895 per body camera.
“Additionally, utilizing body cameras is a useful tool in holding everyone involved accountable; it tends to make interactions better. Body-worn cameras may also capture video evidence of a crime and may also assist a deputy in documenting witness statements and complaints in various types of incidents.”
Contributions to this fund — which has a goal of $200,000 — can be made at any Carter Credit Union branch. Checks can also be mailed to the main office of Carter Credit Union at 8988 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport La. 71106.
Checks should be made payable to the Concerned Business People of Shreveport.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE July 10 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.