Cottonport to purchase new, better body cameras for officers

By GARLAND FORMAN
Co-Editor
Cottonport Police will be equipped with new body cameras in the near future, the Town Council decided at its Aug. 15 meeting.
Police Chief Earnest Anderson had requested the body cameras in July.
Councilman Luke Welch looked at several proposals and talked to body camera providers at the recent Louisiana Municipal Association Convention in Lake Charles.
The police department has been using cameras that were donated to the town. However, the cameras are becoming unreliable and need to be replaced.
Welch told the council that all of the companies had similar proposals.
He also researched online to see how other police departments rated the various companies. After that, he called some of the police departments to get firsthand views on companies they would recommend to provide new cameras.
Based on his research, Welch recommended Wolff Cameras at a price of $4,800 for a package that includes six body cameras, a docking station for the cameras and the software package to operate the cameras.
The batteries and backup can be used for 20 hours before needing to be re-charged. Cottonport will also have to purchase a new computer to handle the software package and the amount of space needed to store the data from the cameras.
“When I looked this company, it had the highest rating,” Welch said. “After we purchase the new computer to handle the new system, there will be training needed to learn how to operate the cameras and store the data”
Anderson and Welch both said the purchases will help everyone. The video from the camera cannot be altered, even when uploaded to the computer.
“This new system will protect the police and the community,” Anderson told the council. “This purchase is important for Cottonport.”
The council unanimously approved the purchase.
In other business, the council was notified it has been awarded a $15,000 grant to replace a water line on Richard Street.
The council honored a group of people who helped organize a back to school event in Cottonport. Adults and children handed out school supplies to over 200 school-aged children.
“This was people helping people,” Councilman Kenneth Friels said. “It feels good to see what this group accomplished. Even the children were helping the adults with this event.”