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Council approves several contracts for transit cameras and IT recovery, defers police robotic‑dog decision
Summary
Council approved a Transit Solutions camera contract, a DataEdge IT backup/recovery contract, and other procurement items; the Wichita Police Department's request to buy a second robotic dog was deferred until January 2027 for more operational data.
The Wichita City Council approved a series of operational contracts and took a demonstrative pause on an earlier police‑technology procurement.
Wichita Transit asked the council to approve a competitively procured contract with Transit Solutions LLC for onboard camera systems that will cover an estimated 400 buses and 180 vans. Transit staff said 80% of hardware and software costs are eligible for federal funds and that the total contract is $485,753 with the city’s portion totaling $97,151. Council approved the contract and associated budget adjustments (motion passed with one absence recorded during the roll call).
The IT department asked the council to approve a contract with DataEdge to strengthen enterprise backup and rapid recovery capabilities after a ransomware incident that required a multi‑week recovery. Mike Madoff of IT said the city’s prior recovery period lasted roughly 28 days and that a modern backup solution should shorten recovery to days. Council approved the DataEdge contract (motion passed 6–0 with one absence).
Captain Aaron Moses of the Wichita Police Department updated the council on the city’s first Spot robotic dog procurement and training. Because RadiCo’s national deployment for FIFA 2026 limited on‑site training and the department had only limited operational data from the delivered unit, staff recommended deferring a decision on a second robotic dog until January 2027 so additional performance data and training could be collected. Council voted to defer the item to the January 19, 2027 meeting (motion passed 7–0).
Other operational items approved included the continuation of the Wichita intervention program contract for municipal court services (user‑funded program with a $325 participant fee) and several procurements listed in the Board of Bids and Contracts report.
Next steps: Transit and IT staff will proceed with procurement and implementation, reporting back as necessary on deployments and any required budget adjustments; the police will return with additional data and policy updates in January 2027 regarding any second robotic dog purchase.
