Wichita police officers are wearing better cameras

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Police Department is equipping its officers with new body cameras that can turn on once an officer turns on the patrol vehicle’s light bar.

“We are halfway through issuing the new cameras, closer to three-quarters of the way through, issuing the new cameras to field services employees, so patrol officers, out in the field,” Captain Aaron Moses, WPD, said. “Officers will have the option to choose between a head-mounted and a body-mounted camera.”

Moses says the Axon Body 4 cameras offer a wider angle and a clearer picture and audio.

“We now have automated activation of the cameras when a Taser is deployed,” he said. “In the near future, automatic activation with light bar activation will be coming online for the body-worn cameras and automatic activation when a firearm is pulled from the holster. All of those things are currently in progress.”

The Axon Body 4 cameras also allow supervisors to see livestreamed videos from officers in the field in certain situations.

“One of the biggest enhancements in these cameras is that every commissioned officer will be issued a body-worn camera now, not just officers in the field,” Moses said. “So after we are done with issuing cameras to field services employees, we will move to investigations employees, and eventually, even the chief of police will have a body-worn camera.”

Earlier this year, the WPD announced other high-tech tools the department has or is testing, including drones and in-car video cameras.

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