Tumwater police outline body‑worn camera plan; council urges use of state contract and requests six months of operational data after rollout
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Summary
Police presented a body-worn camera implementation plan, staffing and procurement timeline targeting mid‑2026 deployment; council members urged using the statewide NASPO contract to avoid delay, and a council member requested a December 2026 update reporting preliminary operational data.
Chief Jay (Police) and Sergeant John Kennersey presented the Tumwater Police Department's body‑worn camera project plan on Oct. 14, outlining staffing, procurement steps, vendor evaluation and a target timeline for deployment.
The department said the project received budget approval and has hired or reassigned three staff: an operations sergeant (Kennersey), a records supervisor (Ashley Clark) to handle redaction and records logistics, and an IT systems specialist (Zach Ross). Deputy Chief Keyless, the project manager, was unable to attend. The department completed a needs assessment, narrowed an initial field of six vendors to two, and planned demonstrations and field testing before recommending a single vendor to command staff.
The department described integration work (car cameras, laptops, records systems) and said procurement and installation typically take 60–90 days after vendor selection, with an overall target of June 2026 for implementation. The department said it will develop policy, cooperate with the union on an MOU, run community outreach and schedule training prior to rollout.
Council members questioned why the department was evaluating multiple vendors instead of using the statewide NASPO contract for body‑worn cameras, which went live in May 2024. Department staff said one of the two vendors under consideration appears on the statewide contract but that the department wants to evaluate current market options and ensure compatibility with existing local systems (vehicle cameras, records management, laptops), and account for rapid technological change. An IT official emphasized the need to minimize unexpected integration problems.
Council member Agave asked for a follow-up: if the department begins implementation in June 2026, the council asked for a briefing with preliminary operational data by December 2026 (roughly six months of use) to assess what's working and what needs adjustment. The department agreed to the request.
Staff also said the city would hold community outreach sessions and provide further presentations to the council as procurement and field testing proceed. No final procurement decision or MOU with the union was recorded at the committee meeting.
