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Provo police seek camera contract increase and one‑time armor appropriation in 2027 budget
Summary
Provo Police asked the council to budget a $107,000 increase for body‑worn and in‑car camera systems and a one‑time $89,400 appropriation to buy rifle-rated ballistic inserts to outfit 60 officers; staff said an RFP is active for camera systems and armor replacements are one‑time capital buys.
Provo Police presented supplemental budget requests for fiscal 2027 that include a contract increase to refresh vehicle and body‑worn video systems and a one‑time appropriation to replace expired ballistic inserts.
Kevin Taylor, who presented the police budget to the council, said the department seeks to wrap in‑car camera capability with the existing Axon body‑worn contract. The preliminary top‑end estimate for adding an in‑car system and renewing camera services is about $107,000 for the five‑year contract period; staff said a formal RFP is published and vendor bids are due in April.
Separately, police requested a one‑time appropriation of $89,400 to buy rifle‑rated flexible ballistic inserts to equip 60 officers this year; staff said about 90 systems are expired and the department proposed replacing 60 now and using scheduled replacements over the next two years to complete the rest. Presenters said the inserts are rifle‑rated panels that fit inside existing carrier vests and will better protect officers' vital areas.
Councilors asked whether the camera estimate is a top end and if bids might come in lower; staff confirmed the $107,000 figure is preliminary and that the RFP could produce lower numbers. Councilor Whitlock asked whether there is a replacement schedule for armor; staff said the department maintains a rotational schedule for replacement and expects to purchase additional standard vests for new hires in FY27.
City staff did not take immediate action on either request during the work meeting; they provided details on the RFP timeline and characterized the armor request as a one‑time appropriation rather than an ongoing budget increase.
