Staff explains proposed extension of police body-camera lease; city could lock $49/month rate for five years

City staff discussed a proposed extension of the lease for the police department's body-worn cameras and video-management service at the Nov. 6 study session.

Staff said the current body-camera arrangement began in August 2021 and that the vendor is offering an option to lock in a rate of $49 per device per month for an additional five years if the city commits by Dec. 1; if the city declines, the renewal price would rise to $69 per device per month. "We're currently paying $49 a month for the body cams. They're offering us the price for another 5 years. If we commit by December First, if we don't, the renewal price goes up to $69 a month," a staff presenter said.

Staff explained the system is provided as video-as-a-service with cloud storage, redaction software and transfer tools; the department currently holds roughly 259,000 videos in cloud storage accumulated over the contract term, and staff noted the city's annual lease payments for camera systems total about $95,000. The transcript records the staff request for council awareness and planning but does not show a formal council vote authorizing contract renewal during the study session.