New body cameras OK’d for city officers

Posted 7/12/22

The Newburgh City Council approved the contract between Axon Enterprise Inc. and the City of Newburgh for 46 new body worn cameras. The police department mainly utilized a company called WatchGuard …

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New body cameras OK’d for city officers

Posted

The Newburgh City Council approved the contract between Axon Enterprise Inc. and the City of Newburgh for 46 new body worn cameras. The police department mainly utilized a company called WatchGuard Technologies for their body camera system.

Axon Enterprise Inc. had presented their body camera technology to the city council where body camera feed and footage can now be uploaded to a secure cloud server and distributed to various partners and agencies that need evidence during an on-going investigation.

Redaction software is included for more protection and there is technology that can be utilized by the public to assist officers in cases. Cameras can also be automatically activated and start recording.

“With the acquisition of this technology it’ll free up one sergeant that is currently dedicated just to, to manage the body worn camera,” said Police Commissioner José Gomérez. “We do not need to worry about our IT department. We do not have to worry about our storage. We still manage the data.”

According to Gomérez, evidence.com, provided by Axon, is an additional tool for residents to use where they can submit footage that officers may not have captured and can be placed into evidence.

Officers within the department will also be assigned a specific camera for them, whereas body cameras were handed off to officers changing shifts.

“I think it’s important for all of them to wear body cameras because it protects the residents, it protects the police and then it helps if there is a crime that’s going on,” said Councilman Anthony Grice.