Ferndale Police Begin Rollout Of Body Cameras

The Ferndale Police Department has begun a staged rollout of its new body-worn camera program, the department says. A post to the department’s Twitter account announced the rollout, saying “Over the next several weeks, each patrol officer will be equipped with a WatchGuardVideo body cam. This has been in the works for a couple years and it’s finally deployment time.”

On Oct. 9 2017, Ferndale City Council voted to approve the purchase of 30 body cameras, 10 in-car video system upgrades, and a server with software to support and maintain the equipment at a cost of $120,846.20. WatchGuard, a company the department has used for ten years, will provide the equipment, according to a statement released by the city.

Ferndale Police Sgt. Tim Andre, who heads the body cam program, says that the rollout will be done in stages, so residents may not see the cameras on every officer right away.

"We're taking our time and making sure we do it right," Andre said. "We'll spend the next few months on implementation and training, and then we'll launch in January. Not everyone will have a camera at first. For the first three months, the equipment will be worn by just two officers per shift."

The city and Ferndale Police cite several reasons for the slow rollout. They want to make sure officers are fully trained in operating the technology, and that record clerks and other staffers have received necessary training in redaction software.

"Redaction is an important component in the usage of body cameras," Andre said. "We have to make sure we keep legal and sensitive information and the identities of youth and minors private."

Photos via Ferndale Police.