Council members raised questions about privacy, how long video data would be stored by the city, and who could legally access it. m_gallery_id = "16541501"; Council Member Sabra Briere, D-1st Ward, asked how much it might cost the city each year for the increased data storage. The Ann Arbor police department murdered 40-year-old Aura Rosser five years ago this past weekend. 1. From the June, 2017 issue. The city of Ann Arbor is officially moving forward with purchasing body-worn video cameras for city police officers. Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Lowell in Kent County are all beginning to outfit their officers with body cameras. Seto said the department already has equipment for its in-car video system and has the ability to do those types of things, but he isn't sure how much staff time it will take. body-worn video cameras for city police officers. For emergencies, contact 911. "I believe we are in a position to recommend the deployment of body-worn cameras," Seto told council members, noting he's been looking into the idea for months and he could bring forward a funding request at the council's next meeting. mlive.com | By Malachi Barrett. In 2014, a Black woman named Aura Rosser , who suffered from mental health issues, was killed by white AAPD officer David Ried — county prosecutors later refused to indict Ried for what officials deemed lawful self-defense . Police TV By the end of June, all AAPD patrol officers will be wearing video cameras. Ann Arbor Police Chief John Seto is recommending the city purchase 86 body-worn video cameras for city police to start wearing in early 2015. m_gallery = "ann_arbor_city_council_budget_"; Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). m_gallery_json = "https://blog.mlive.com/photogallery/8002564/16541501.json"; Ann Arbor police want to speak to a potential witness spotted in the area of North Ingalls Street on July 23, the same night Paul DeWolf was killed in his home. As far as privacy concerns related to who can access the footage, Seto said some of that is going to be guided by the state's Freedom of Information Act. And when Freedom of Information Act requests inevitably are made for the footage, he said, people will be able to see what officers go through every day on the job. "In addition to the strong policies, we have to have very good training and oversight, and those are the challenges we have moving forward," Seto said. m_gallery_title = "Ann Arbor City Council budget retreat 2014"; Police body cameras improve police accountability and lower reports of police misconduct. "We have to balance when we are going to be able to make sure we capture images when it is necessary. m_gallery_creation_date = "Wednesday, December 10, 2014, 4:07 PM"; "We will not get it right all the time," he said. In a memo to council, Deputy Police Chief Greg Bazick noted smartphones have empowered the public to capture high-quality video and photos of encounters with police, which can be shared publicly. Ann Arbor wasn’t spared from the slew of fatal police shootings. "I will be very interested as a council member that we take the initiative to make sure that privacy concerns and other concerns are addressed in the process of wearing body cams.". In the final hour of the night on Nov. 9, 2014, Ann Arbor police officers Mark Raab and David Ried responded to a call for assistance from Rosser’s partner, 54-year-old Victor … Michigan State Police chase caught on dash cam in Ann Arbor. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. Log In. Police body cameras used to be viewed as a novelty, an extra technology that police departments experimented with or used to provide another piece of evidence in court. He said the upgrade to the in-car video systems already was scheduled for next fiscal year and it's just being bumped up six months. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Grand Rapids police are seriously considering them. The Ypsilanti City Council approved a resolution Tuesday night that will provide 15 body cameras to the city the will be worn by officers with police department. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2008 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, the state had 571 law enforcement agencies employing 19,009 sworn police officers, about 190 for each 100,000 residents. He said some people have described going forward with the purchase before all those concerns are addressed as a "ready, fire, aim" move. "Early results from agencies that have deployed them demonstrate a decrease in officer use of force, as well as decreased complaints against officers," Bazick said, noting the footage also provides evidence to assist in prosecuting crimes. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. All Ann Arbor police personnel are partners with the public and city administration to help the community successfully fulfill its desired destiny. m_gallery_id = "16528578"; "That's why we're trying to go about it at the same time. He said his plan is to equip an initial group of officers with body cams starting in the first quarter of 2015. Police body cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events. Ann Arbor Police Department Annual Refresher Training • All sworn personnel complete a minimum of 24 hours of refresher training each year. He said storage of data is going to be one of the challenges. Council Member Sumi Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, concurred that many residents are frightened about recent home invasions. Funding for future upgrades or replacements will be budgeted through the city's annual budget process. Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, who helped organize a forum in October where the issue of body cams was raised, also said he was pleased with Seto's report and he looks forward to a proposal coming to council for approval. Briere also asked what happens when a member of the public files a FOIA request for body cam footage, how much city staff time it might require to respond, and whether additional equipment might be needed to review footage and make redactions. Seto said 86 cameras will cover all of the department's frontline personnel in uniform, including both officers and their supervisors in the patrol and traffic units. COVID-19: Vaccine news and outbreak updates. He said they also take part in online training programs provided by a vendor called TargetSolutions, while some officers are sent to training that is specific to their positions or assignments. "Here was a really serious crime and there was no notice from the city before or since, and people are frightened," Lumm said. body_cams.jpg. Ann Arbor Police Chief John Seto is recommending the city purchase 86 body-worn video cameras for city police to start wearing in early 2015. He said that allowed the city to make more than 1,600 additional traffic stops and give out 516 additional citations to motorists. The city of Ann Arbor announced it would invest in body cameras and upgrades to in-car videos last December. Photo gallery: More Michigan police agencies to wear body cameras. Body camera video shows Michigan man attack police with hockey ... was deemed too dangerous to be released on bond. He also is considering having the department go through a formal accreditation process through a group called CALEA, which stands for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. See more of The Ann Arbor News on Facebook. m_gallery_permalink = "http://photos.mlive.com/8002564/gallery/more_police_agencies_to_wear_b/index.html"; "So, this is the funding part of it," Kailasapathy said. "We received three re-accreditations throughout the years before we withdrew our membership in 2003. “We’re one of the first major cities in America to deploy integrated, in-car video with body worn cameras, so we’re trend setters.” Ad "We're jumping to a lot more storage of data," he said. Not all of those questions have answers yet, but Seto said he's looking to other agencies and groups like the International Association of Chiefs of Police for models and best practices. Council members engaged in a brief discussion about privacy and policy concerns related to body cams before voting on the purchase Monday night. The city already contracts with L3 for its in-car video systems, so its technicians have experience and knowledge of the city's existing systems. Seto announced his plan during Monday's annual City Council budget retreat. This September, Ann Arbor signed a $373,000 contract for new police body cameras built by Axon Enterprise, Inc. because of frequent malfunctioning errors of the existing cameras in the past year. He said the 26-week campaign increased police presence on neighborhood streets, which had a traffic calming effect, and it provided a lot of opportunities to stop and educate motorists without giving out citations. We also have to be concerned about when to be cautious and not recording, and there are many recommendations out there already.". The positives of these cameras are obvious: They help the public hold police officers accountable for their actions, supply evidence for potential cases of misconduct, and hopefully help to restore some of the trust in law enforcement. Seto didn't make any recommendations to increase public safety staffing Monday night, though multiple council members indicated that remains a priority for them as they start the budget process for fiscal year 2015-16. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Another issue Seto touched on during his report to council was traffic enforcement, noting the City Council funded a 26-week traffic enforcement campaign this year. The Ann Arbor City Council unanimously voted Monday to appropriate $173,760 to upgrade police in-car and body cameras, a move intended to help officers objectively evaluate police … Bazick said L3 is offering discounted pricing to the city and the city is saving about $34,000 by making the purchase before Dec. 31. or. Seto was the police chief of Ann Arbor at the time of Rosser’s death, and steadfastly defended the police officer in question throughout the Washtenaw County prosecutor’s short investigation. COVID-19: Vaccine news and outbreak updates. Ann Arbor Police Department getting its first all-electric Ford Mustangs https: ... $348,308 contract for new dashboard cameras in AAPD vehicles. Seto said he suspects when the city moves forward with implementing body cams in early 2015, the city's policy is going to be very similar to a nationally recommended policy that has taken into account input from many entities, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Chiefs of Police. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com or 734-623-2529 or follow him on Twitter. Taylor said he understands the privacy and policy concerns. "The Ann Arbor Police Department was first accredited in 1989," he said. Cox commented on the benefits of body cameras, despite their costliness. m_gallery_creation_date = "Tuesday, December 09, 2014, 1:04 AM"; Ann Arbor Police Ride-Along Gives A Glimpse Of How Officers Interact With The Public . The city of Ann Arbor is officially moving forward with purchasing body-worn video cameras for city police officers.. Seto said the purchase of 86 body cams and related equipment, along with an upgrade to the video systems for 22 vehicles, will cost about $150,000. Almost one year ago, Ann Arbor police shot and killed 40-year-old Aura Rosser in her home. Seto noted the city regularly provides reports of crime to CrimeMapping.com and circulates information about certain crimes via other channels, though he said he's open to guidance from council to improve sharing of information. "Because a lot of people have raised privacy concerns and other unintended consequences that could arise," she said. m_gallery_pagetype = "embed"; All rights reserved (About Us). Council Member Kirk Westphal, D-2nd Ward, said there's been widespread support for the purchase of body cams, but also some trepidation about the ownership and availability of the footage. This is a list of law enforcement agencies in the state of Michigan.. Subscribe now. He said the revenue sharing the city receives annually from the fund fluctuates depending on the cases, but it has been about $80,000 per year, and the fund has a balance of about $220,000 right now, before the latest equipment purchase. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. "Because if they're falsely charged, or falsely accused of misconduct, it would clear their name.". The decision to equip city police with body cams comes roughly one month after the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Aura Rosser by an Ann Arbor police officer, an incident that has prompted public outcry and demands that police, among other things, start wearing body cams. In response to Rosser’s death and several incidents across the nation in which Blacks were killed by law enforcement officials, most notably in Ferguson, Missouri, and Staten Island, New York, Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution in December 2014 to implement the use of body cameras by the Ann Arbor Police Department. She said there still are important considerations about when the cameras will be used. In Texas, a police officer was fired, charged with murder, and sentenced to a $10,000 fine and 15 years in prison after body-worn camera footage contradicted his initial statement in the Apr. The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a $157,760 contract with L3 Mobile-Vision Inc. for upgrades to the police department's in-car video camera systems, support software, electronic data storage, and body-worn cameras. MORE: Police body camera footage shows fatal shooting of Hannah Williams in Anaheim "You don't understand, ... "It's going to be, like, the senator from Ann Arbor's career is over. "Again, we have to be cautious about how to balance that," he added. Council Member Sumi Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, said body cams were recommended by the city's Human Rights Commission to increase transparency. Council Member Jane Lumm, an independent from the 2nd Ward, said a neighborhood watch leader in her area circulated an email to neighbors about a nearby home invasion the day before Thanksgiving, including a link to an Ann Arbor News article because that was the only information available. The resolution council approved Monday night didn't include a cost breakdown showing how much was being spent solely on the body cams or how many body cams were being purchased, but Seto previously indicated the contract would cover the purchase of 86 body cams and upgrades to the video systems for 22 vehicles. "And I think it will be a good thing for us all to see those interactions in all their respects.". Seto said the department also remains focused on community engagement efforts with a new three-person Community Engagement Unit. m_gallery_type = "photo"; Gallery: Photo gallery: More Michigan police agencies to wear body cameras. Ann Arbor officials are expected to discuss whether city police should be equipped with body-worn video cameras during a city budget retreat on Monday. "We have reviewed many policies, including national recommendations, and we are also working with other local agencies to have similar policies," he said. ANN ARBOR, MI – An annual vigil and march decrying the death of Aura Rosser, who was shot and killed by an Ann Arbor police officer, is set for Sunday. He also announced plans to launch a community survey in January that will ask citizens about perceptions of safety and interactions with police officers. "I also would say that our policies will be very similar to the policies of the other police agencies in Washtenaw County," Seto said, noting other local law enforcement agencies are moving forward with purchasing body cams. "I think an expenditure like this both increases the transparency and accountability and protects the public, and protects our officers," Warpehoski said. The council appropriated a total of $173,760 for both acquisition and estimated installation costs. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. "This is going to be an ongoing enterprise, trying to find the right balance. Police Chief John Seto said he's been looking into body cams for several months and he's very comfortable as far as where the city will be with implementation. We've had meetings previously where we reviewed research together, we went to presentations together, and we will have continual meetings on how we can be as consistent as we are on all of these issues.". Council authorized the purchase in December 2014 after an AAPD officer shot and killed a woman armed with a knife. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). He called it a "federal forfeiture fund.". He said the city still needs to work out a system to make sure it has continued funding for both storage and future equipment replacement costs. Seto said officers go through "annual refresher training" every year, including 24 hours of instructional training on several topics. Do not use this page to report a crime. Michigan State Police chase caught on dash cam in Ann Arbor. The shooting remains under investigation. m_gallery_permalink = "http://photos.mlive.com/8002564/gallery/ann_arbor_city_council_budget_/index.html"; Ann Arbor Police Chief To Meet With Residents Tonight. He said he doesn't want to wait to hear about violent crimes through the media. • Topics vary from year to year and may include: o Firearms o ... o Body Cameras in Law Enforcement o Legal Update . That is the challenge of bringing forward a new technology.". Seto said he considered the campaign a success, but not just because of the citations that were issued. Seto said the city is using money it receives from the city's participation in a federal narcotics enforcement task force. Kalamazoo police officers are among the law enforcement personnel doing tests of on-body police cameras. Author: There will be times, in retrospect, when we wish we had the cameras off. Like I said last Friday, I spoke to the Michigan Daily about the anniversary of … "This is one of those things we will have to review along with IT and the city attorney's office about some of the obligations of releasing of the images," Seto said. Bazick said the body cams will integrate seamlessly for downloading, categorizing and storing the data in a chain of custody that protects the integrity of the video for evidentiary purposes. Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, said he's interested in seeing what the police department can do to improve crime reporting to council and residents. Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, D-5th Ward, said the city absolutely needs to get it right when it comes to privacy concerns, but he said the city also needs a good policy to ensure cameras are recording when they should be recording. m_gallery = "more_police_agencies_to_wear_b"; m_gallery_json = "https://blog.mlive.com/photogallery/8002564/16528578.json"; The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Seto proposes purchasing the body cams from L-3 Mobile-Vision Inc., the same vendor that supplies the dash cam equipment for city patrol vehicles. "I'm sure I'm speaking for lots of us, and probably all of us, when I say the recommendation with respect to body-worn cameras is a welcome one," Mayor Christopher Taylor said following Seto's report Monday night.