City to purchase body cams for FPD

FAIRBORN — At their Monday meeting, the Fairborn city council approved the purchase of body cameras and policy services, in an effort to put the police department “ahead of the curve” of modernization, officials said.

“Currently, the department does not have body worn cameras,” Police Chief Terry Bennington wrote in a letter to the city manager. “As we have seen in today’s world, the lack of cameras can be a liability for the department and the city.”

The city would purchase a total of 55 body-worn cameras and other relevant equipment, including 20 in-car bundles, software installation, and the like. The total cost of the project is $251,000.

“The cameras, while not perfect, give us the best opportunity to remain transparent in our daily interactions and will protect citizzens and officers alike,” Bennington continued in his letter.

The city also approved the purchase of Lexipol, a service from a policy software and training company, in the initial amount of $42,000.

Lexipol is a private, for-profit company that provides law enforcement policy and training to police departments across the country, including several in Greene County. It is one of the largest such companies in the country. The benefits of the service allow the FPD to access standardized policy without the labor-intensive process of researching changes in both federal regulations and those of the Ohio Collaborative Board, officials said. The service also allows for a searchable database of policing policies that officers can access remotely.

According to the Texas Law Review, Lexipol also markets itself as a way to mitigate liability risk for police departments.

The city also awarded a contract to Double Jay Construction for the Colonel Glenn Enhancements Project. Double Jay bid just over $2.3 million for the project, and the city allocated $2.45 million to the project, per the resolution.

The city building will fully reopen to the public on June 1.

The Fairborn City Council met on May 17, the first since all members have been fully vaccinated.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2021/05/web1_Screenshot-91-.jpgThe Fairborn City Council met on May 17, the first since all members have been fully vaccinated.

By London Bishop

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Reach London Bishop at 937-502-4532 or follow @LBishopFDH on Twitter.