I-TEAM UPDATE: New details about new body cams for Richmond County deputies
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The I-TEAM has learned the specific breakdown of how Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree will spend $690,000 in federal funding.
Last week, we first told you Sheriff Roundtree submitted an application to Senator Jon Ossoff’s office requesting money to replace his agency’s outdated body-worn camera system, but new documents are shedding new light on why the sheriff says he needs new equipment.
“Recently, several servers in the current system crashed and were replaced resulting in the department losing BWC videos,” according to the project summary. “This BWC implementation will replace outdated BWCs, expand the department’s data storage capabilities, and make videos more accessible for follow up investigations and as evidence in criminal proceedings.”
This project is specifically called the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Intervention and De-escalation Program.
“With the funds from this grant, the RCSO will purchase 350 new BWCs, 27 charging docks, and access to an unlimited data storage system,” documents show.
The documents show “the cost per body-worn camera is $749.00 for a total of $262,150.00 for 350 cameras. The cost for each docking station is $1,595.00 for a total of $70,180.00 for 44 docking stations. The cost for 10 Pro licenses for supervisors is $5,070.00, and the cost for 350 Basic Software licenses is $68,250.00.”
Senator Ossoff commended Sheriff Roundtree for his request, calling it “meticulously budgeted.”
“I always insist that any local agency I’m helping fund provide those kinds of detailed numbers,” said Ossoff.
SEE THE VIOLENCE REDUCTION BUDGET:
But this isn’t just about the numbers.
“One of the things that I always insist on is that applicants for federal appropriations demonstrate and local community for their projects,” said Ossoff. “And we saw that in this case.”
The almost $690,000 price tag is just for the initial purchase of the equipment and the first year of a five year plan.
According to the project’s budget, each successive year will cost of $328,290.36, and Augusta-Richmond County will foot that bill.
The contract includes new, upgraded body cameras at years two and five.
“The reason that this stood out as something that I wanted to is because I know how powerful body cams are as tools that promote civil rights, ability and public safety,” said Ossoff.
Ossoff also approved funding for law enforcement officers in Fulton County to purchase body-worn cameras.
Not all law enforcement agencies utilize them, though Ossoff believes they should.
“In my view, it should be a matter of state law that every law enforcement agency should have to be equipped with body cams,” said Ossoff. “I think it’s a basic question of transparency. Let’s have a clear record of what happened in these encounters with the public that protects not just the public, but also the officers involved who sometimes are falsely accused of mistreating a member of the public when you have the tape, you can get the truth.”
This $690,000 comes almost a year after the agency also got $970,392 from the state to buy new body cameras and $284,625 for technology and “proactive policing methods” to combat gun violence.
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