WAILUKU (AP) — The Maui Police Department is considering outfitting officers with body-worn cameras. ADVERTISING WAILUKU (AP) — The Maui Police Department is considering outfitting officers with body-worn cameras. The department has requested proposals from vendors for a technology system,
WAILUKU (AP) — The Maui Police Department is considering outfitting officers with body-worn cameras.
The department has requested proposals from vendors for a technology system, according to The Maui News (https://bit.ly/1RTjfHz). Vendors have until March 25 to submit proposals for testing the cameras.
Assistant Chief John Jakubczak said the request doesn’t mean the department will begin using cameras, but instead is an indication that they are seriously considering their options.
“Now it’s more of a serious look at the technology,” he said. “It’s not something you can just go out and purchase off the shelf.
MPD has received two grants totaling less than $200,000 toward the purchase of a body-worn camera system.
A committee that includes police officers and police researchers has been considering body-worn cameras for some time.
Last year, some police officers tested body cameras after two vendors supplied the department with the technology for a trial run.
“It gave us an opportunity to look at how this equipment worked,” Jakubczak said. “It allowed officers a firsthand look at this technology.”
He said there were pros and cons between different types of cameras and that the department is considering many factors before committing to a system.
“Are we leaning toward it? Yes. We’re seriously looking into it,” Jakubczak said. “But are we obviously going to go into it? I don’t want to say that.”
