Aurora Police Launches New Camera Program; hundreds of body cameras, recorders and more

CHICAGO (CBS) – On Monday, the city of Aurora announced major changes in its public safety measures, in part through the installation of multimillion-dollar police cameras.

Marissa Parra of CBS 2 reports that they have undergone a complete overhaul, each Aurora police officer is now equipped with body cameras, and added updates to Taser systems and officers ’squad vehicles.

This is part of the launch of TAP, their new program of transparency and accountability.

Since 2017, they have been seriously engaged in chamber cameras, and in late January completed the training and equipment of all 285 officers.

A total of 150 squad cars will now have their own cameras, lined up along with cameras worn on the body.

Now even officer tasers will have their own new functions. Enabling Taser activates officer cameras and officer cameras, and they have a new de-escalation feature.

Aurora Police Chief Keith Cross said that after the riots of 2020, he realized how much both the public and officers needed cameras to feel safe on the streets

“I think the public will feel a little better if we’re transparent as an agency,” Cross said. “To see today is to believe, and because many agencies were not equipped with body cameras, the words of the officers might not be perceived as gospel as they used to be. So now body cameras allow the public to trust what the officer says or what the officer is going through. at this time. “

Cross said body cameras will also protect officers from false accusations of misconduct.

Aurora officials had hoped to release the TAP earlier, but say they were also affected by some delays in pandemic production. They are still waiting for the full deployment of the cameras of the team car.

Price tag? About $ 4 million in all; including 315 cameras – including stun guns, combat vehicles, body-mounted cameras, software, installation and storage.

Officials said they had already used some footage from the cameras.