Burr Ridge Getting Body Cams For Cops

Burr Ridge IL

09 November, 2021

9:54 AM

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BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge is poised to be one of the first Chicago suburbs to get body cameras for its officers, with the police chief saying the devices would promote accountability and defend police against lawsuits. At Monday's Village Board meeting, trustees voted unanimously to spend $375,000 for a five-year program of body cameras and Tasers for officers. Savings from duplicative technology would mean the city would ultimately spend $200,000, or $40,000 a year, officials said. "An officer's testimony doesn't hold up the way it did 20 years ago," Chief John Madden told the board. "You get more requests for videos. State's attorneys want video. Defense attorneys want video. Everyone has their phones up all the time." The Axon cameras, he said, are designed to reduce the chances that officers fail to record critical incidents. If an officer turns on his emergency lights, his camera activates. It also turns on when an officer draws a weapon or is near other officers who do. By voting to go ahead with Axon, the village will enter an annual subscription with the company, which means all 27 cameras would be replaced every 2½ years, officials said. The package also includes 27 Tasers and 10 in-car fleet cameras, all of which are equipped with license plate reading technology. Under state law, police departments are required to get officers body cameras by the end of 2024. Madden said he has been looking at getting the devices since 2017. "Because of the significant costs, we deferred it," he said. Trustee Russell Smith said he understood that the village would get body cameras, but he said he was concerned with the price tag. He asked his colleagues to hold off a few months while the expenditure goes through the budget process for the new fiscal year. Others wanted to go ahead now. "The chief and deputy chief don't come to us for a lot," Trustee Tony Schiappa said. "This is what they are looking for to assist officers in doing their wonderful job for our residents. This is something we should consider now for additional protection." Trustee Al Paveza said if it were a money issue, he would rather spend on the body cameras now and hold off on putting more money into the police pension fund. "In today's conditions for law enforcement, this is something that is totally needed," Paveza said. Mayor Gary Grasso agreed, although he acknowledged Smith's concern with the expenditure of public money. "We are in an era when policing is being negatively scrutinized, in my opinion," he said. "This is another opportunity for the village to lead in what we know is coming anyhow." The village is expected to make its first expenditure on the camera program early next year.