With the addition of 700 new computers in police vehicles, Metro moved forward with its plan to upgraded its fleet to be compatible with body cameras.
The Mayor's office recently sent notification of reserve funding set aside in the amount of $4 million for police vehicle upgrades. The plan calls for new computers in every police vehicle that will work with both dash and body cameras.
"The funding that Mayor Berry proposed this week would allow the Mayor to replace the end of life, in car, laptop computers," said Metro Spokesman Don Aaron. The current computers are about seven years old and are due to be taken out of service.
"The officers use these computers as really a lifeline day after day as they're getting information and evolving information about calls," Aaron said.
Body cameras have been at the center of both national and local attention as several controversial shootings involving police ignited riots and discord in major U.S. cities. Aaron said he hopes the new body cameras will promote a better understanding of law enforcement as well as adding a documented aspect of police work.
Aaron said the new computers would have to be advanced enough to support a 4G connection, WiFi and whatever software the city will need to connect the computers to a particular brand of body cameras.
Also, to streamline the upload of footage collected from the cameras, the city will have upload points scattered throughout the Metro area.
"We will have WiFi hotspots at all eight of the existing precincts," Aaron said. "As well as seven other hotspots located in strategic locations throughout Davidson County."
