Council hears Verkada camera pilot proposal for parks; council requests warranty and data controls details

A vendor presentation recommended a hybrid cloud camera deployment across several city parks and proposed a pilot at David Braun Park.

Alex (vendor representative) and Datavox (installation partner) presented a proposal for a Verkada camera system that would be managed via a centralized cloud interface. The proposed pilot would place multiple devices (cameras and gateways) in David Braun Park with an option to expand to waterways including the finger piers and Seacove. The vendor described features including remote live viewing, person and vehicle analytics, license‑plate recognition (LPR), tamper alerts, automatic software updates and a 10‑year product warranty. The vendor emphasized centralized management (single pane of glass), archive capability and the ability to share clips or time‑limited links with law enforcement.

Council and staff questioned how cellular connectivity and data plans would be handled for gateway devices in locations without city power. Alex said the devices use SIM cards and that the city would typically procure the data plan through its provider or obtain government discounts; he said the vendor partners with AT&T, Verizon and T‑Mobile. Council also asked about camera performance at night and in high winds; the representative demonstrated zoom and low‑light imagery and said devices are IP‑rated and covered under the 10‑year warranty for manufacturing defects, and that the company would confirm coverage for projectile/major‑storm damage.

Public safety integration: Council asked whether live alarm/verified‑video events could route into existing police systems (Axon was mentioned). The vendor said integrations exist and that staff would confirm detailed technical integration with the city’s IT and police evidence management systems during a pilot.

Pilot and cost: The vendor offered a three‑year priced pilot for David Braun Park (proposal included ~48 devices and a three‑year license bundle in the packet reviewed by council; the three‑year total cited in the presentation was approximately $71,000 for devices/licenses with additional installation and SIM/data costs). Council asked for clarifications on SIM card counts and whether warranty covers weather projectile damage; the vendor agreed to follow up and suggested the city test the system for 30 days before committing to a longer deployment.

Why it matters: Cameras are intended to improve safety and help investigators identify vandalism, theft, or safety incidents in parks and on city waterways. Council requested written warranty details, clarification on recurring cellular costs and confirmation of how the system would integrate with police dispatch and evidence systems before advancing beyond a pilot.

Quotations: Alex (vendor): “If something breaks, we’re going to be able to fix it. However, if it’s in that 5% range, someone tampered with it, we’re going to go ahead and send you a new camera… covered under that 10 year warranty.” Kevin (City) and Chief asked about data integration and warranty coverage for storm/projectile damage; the vendor agreed to confirm details.

Next steps: Council approved a pilot at David Braun Park (staff to finalize scope) and asked staff to confirm warranty language, data‑plan costs and technical integration with the police department’s systems.