GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The leaders of the Green Bay Police and Brown County Sheriff’s Departments are meeting today to discuss acquiring body cameras.
The meeting comes after Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy revealed the organization plans to support the departments in getting them the cameras.
The Packers and Green Bay Police confirm the team first reached out about body cameras after George Floyd’s death.
“More recently they’ve been very direct about the desire to support the police department with body cameras,” said Chief Andrew Smith of the Green Bay Police Department.
A Packers spokesperson tells FOX 11 details are being worked out on how much the Packers will contribute.
“It’s something that the police department and the police in Green Bay and Ashwaubenon and Brown County are all supportive of and it will be good for the community,” said Murphy.
“What we’re trying to do here in Green Bay is put actions to words,” said Aaron Rodgers, the Packers star quarterback. “I’m proud of the organization to make a commitment for body cams for the city of Green Bay Police officers.”
With taxpayer money already tight, help from the Packers would likely go a long way in making the cameras a reality. Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich has said body cameras are something the city would look at including in next year’s budget.
“If they were free, I’d be wearing one right now, but they are very expensive,” said Smith.
For example, Smith says one vendor is offering a 5-year contract between $2 million and $3 million.
Green Bay Police and Brown County hope to agree on a vendor, so the district attorney’s office isn’t receiving video evidence from multiple systems.
“We’re going to talk about what company has risen to the top of our preference list right now and see if we can come up with some common ground because it makes sense for us to share the same type of system,” said Smith.
Smith says the cost to store recorded video is likely as much or more than getting the actual cameras.
This isn’t the first time the Packers have stepped up to help local police purchase equipment. Four years ago, the team and Mike McCarthy each pitched in $100,000 so Green Bay Police could buy tactical gear.
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