GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – If you interact with a Green Bay police officer this year, you may see a camera looking back at you.
That’s because the department now has almost 200 body cameras, but they aren’t on officers’ uniforms yet.
“The infrastructure for the body cameras is pretty intensive,” Green Bay Police Capt. Ben Allen said. “It’s going to start in February with training in the system. But by the time we get done with it, we’re looking into April.”
“As a department we’re looking at about 190 body cameras, full Taser program for all the officers we have, and squad cameras in all of our police cars,” Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith said.
That new equipment comes with a $2.7 million price tag for a five-year contract.
“Green Bay Police Department has one of the larger budgets in the state. Why has it taken so long to get these body cameras?” FOX 11 asked Smith.
“We looked very seriously at body cameras about six years ago. The cost was just prohibitive. We started putting aside money, but then the city ran into some serious financial difficulties with different issues that came up, and that money was ultimately spent on something else.”
Now, it’s a done deal. The Green Bay Packers chipped in more than $750,000 for the department to get the body cameras.
“Thanks to the Packers, we’ve really been able to push this thing forward quickly,” Smith said.
Chauncey Hughes is a local Black Lives Matter activist.
“It’s a very good thing and it’s going to go a long way in ending police brutalities and hold everybody to an equal standard. But at the same time… you should do that when you put on a uniform. Uphold that oath,” Hughes told FOX 11 about the body cameras.
“Our officers are out there doing the right thing just about all the time. We’re going to make mistakes, and I expect our officers to make mistakes, but we’re out there trying to do the right thing all the time. I think these body cameras are going to show it,” Smith said.
The Packers have said they also plan to help pay for body cameras for the Brown County Sheriff’s Department and Ashwaubenon Public Safety.
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