CPD Plans To Purchase New Body, Car Camera System

Cookeville Police will look to purchase a new body and car camera system during the next fiscal year.

Chief Randy Evans said the department’s current system has reached the end of its lifespan.

“We’re still evaluating different systems and, of course, there’s several brands out there,” Evans said. “The life cycle of a camera now is about five to six years and we’re at the end of that life cycle. Technology changes and some of the systems out there, they do have some other features about them that we’re kind of interested in [such as] being able to download wirelessly.”

Cookeville city officials discussed the police department’s proposed spending plan earlier this month.

The new camera system would cost at least $250,000 in the first year with the potential for additional expenses with extra equipment. City officials determined the system would cost approximately $100,000 to $150,000 per year afterward.

Evans said if City Council passes the budget, he expects the department to utilize the new equipment as soon as possible.

“Once the budget passes, which would [start in] July and that’s when the funds would be available, we would start that process of specking out the system, bidding it, installation, and all those things behind the scenes,” Evans said. “It may be late fall before we can actually install those and put them into operation.”

The department’s budget also includes the purchase of eight new police cruisers throughout the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Cookeville council members could consider approving the proposed budget on first reading during their June 6 meeting.