Back in August, hundreds of people gathered at Wichita East High School to discuss police/community relations. The meeting was in response to the officer involved killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Thursday, an update of those efforts was given downtown.
Perhaps the biggest outcome of that August meeting will body cameras city officials say will be issued to all Wichita Police officers.
Acting Police Chief Nelson Mosley says the cameras will cost roughly $1.5 million…
“Right now, we’re been asked to look internally for a funding source," says Mosley. "We expect to have an identified funding source by the end of this month.”
The city says training will be required before officers can wear the cameras and clerks will be hired to maintain the devices and the footage they capture. The city hopes to have them up and running by the end of next year.
Other concerns raised that night, including training and education for crisis intervention, the creation of an independent, citizen review board for officer-involved shootings and community policing, haven’t been nailed down. A public meeting will be held to discuss all of these items in the future.
