Evansville board approves $1.8 million five-year service agreement for police body and dash cameras

The Evansville Board of Public Works voted Jan. 9 to approve a five-year service agreement with Utility Associates covering the city's police body-worn cameras and in-car (dash) camera systems at a total contract amount of $1,800,000.

City and police officials told the board the contract is retroactive to April and runs through April 2029. Captain John McQuay of the Evansville Police Department said the agreement covers maintenance and software services for the camera systems the department currently uses and for additional systems when they are brought into service.

"This is a camera system that is critical to the operation of the Evansville Police Department and to transparency to our citizens," McQuay said. "... being able to have that video, have that impartial view of what actually occurred has been absolutely critical." He added the five-year total equates to about $360,000 per year.

McQuay told the board the contract covers service only; the department will separately purchase hardware for 40 additional patrol vehicles. The hardware was budgeted through a bond-bank agreement, McQuay said, but the funding source for the ongoing software/service fees for those additional cameras has not yet been finalized.

Board members asked how the cameras activate. McQuay said department policy and system configuration create multiple automatic triggers, including proximity to a dispatched location, activation of vehicle lights, door opening, drawing a firearm, sudden acceleration above a threshold, or a fall. "If it's automatically activated, he can deactivate the camera if the situation warrants, but that's where our policies as a department also cover that because we require that any time an officer is interacting with a citizen in an enforcement role, then the camera's activated," McQuay said.

McQuay also clarified a previously noted possible July end date: "the end of the agreement, I believe, was scheduled for April '29," he said, noting July appeared in earlier correspondence when the chief first received the quote.

A motion to approve the agreement was made and seconded on a voice vote and carried. The board record shows the motion was made by Board member Bill Nicks and seconded on the floor; the chair called for "All in favor," and the motion was approved.

The board and police officials said the systems provide evidence for transparency and for defending the city in litigation, and that new systems brought online will be prorated so all service agreements expire concurrently.

Votes and formal action: motion to approve the five-year service agreement with Utility Associates (total $1,800,000) was approved by voice vote; mover recorded as Bill Nicks and second as John McQuay. No roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.