Why Tulsa PD will never have dashcams

[patric]

The state Department of Public Safety has spent more than $1.4 million in the past year to outfit its patrol vehicles with state-of-the-art digital video cameras.

Recording to DVD was state-of-the art last decade. 
Flash memory is where it's at now.  DPS should have asked for a markdown on old merchandise.

You probably noticed the paramedic attack video was analog tape (due to the tape wrinkles) so obviously not all of the vehicles have been converted.

Maybe Tulsa could investigate whatever cleaver financing small towns like Krebbs are using to get equipped.

[cannon_fodder]

Can TPD get the old VHS machines for super cheap then?

It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing.  It would be good enough to deduce a Tag Number from close up, to prove intoxication, or an assault on an officer.   I hope someone from the city is at least ASKING for them.

[MH2010]

I doubt it.

The city is telling us today that we can't even keep the amount of officers we have now without finding a way to cut 1.73 from our budget.  If that doesn't happen then the city will lay-off 41 police officers on Tuesday.

Furthermore, we also learned that even if the city council accepts the more cops federal grant that would provide funding for 63 officers for three years, there would be no money available to provide equipment for them.

[RecycleMichael]

Furthermore, we also learned that even if the city council accepts the more cops federal grant that would provide funding for 63 officers for three years, there would be no money available to provide equipment for them.

Today the Mayor appeared before the trash authority and asked them to provide up to $2.9 million to provide equipment for the cops funded by the federal grant.

That was the money that was planned to and I had hoped for buying recycling carts for all Tulsans.

Remember to say thank you.

[patric]

Today the Mayor appeared before the trash authority and asked them to provide up to $2.9 million to provide equipment for the cops funded by the federal grant.

That was the money that was planned to and I had hoped for buying recycling carts for all Tulsans.

What the police union wants, the police union gets. 
They dont want dashcams, though.

[MH2010]

The mayor told us she was going to do that today.  She also talked about finding another dedicated funding source for public safety so we don't eat up so much of the budget.  Don't worry Michael, the city council won't agree to the federal grant so you will be able to keep the money. 

I know alot of officers want dashcams.  I personally would rather wait for a eye level camera that officers could wear outside the vehicle that also has audio. They are probably about 5-10 years away. Since the majority of our work is done outside the vehicles, I think that would make more sense.  However, the union has no say in dashcams, the decision to purchase and fund dashcams comes from the City administration. 

[Wilbur]

What the police union wants, the police union gets. 
They dont want dashcams, though.

I don't know of any union statement made against dash cams.  In fact, I'm confident it would be just the opposite.

But, I'll bet Martinson is against them.  They would take up too much budget money!

[patric]

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/08/17/crimesider/entry5246958.shtml

[MH2010]

Prisoner overpowers Md. deputy in car, escapes
 
By Larry Carson and DOn Markus
Baltimore Sun
 
BALTIMORE — Nearly four dozen law enforcement personnel from Howard and Anne Arundel counties, as well members of the Maryland State Police, were searching Friday for a 20-year-old prisoner from Jessup who used his handcuffs to choke a sheriff's deputy and escape from custody late Thursday, authorities said.

Devin James Champagne, who was found guilty earlier Thursday evening of felony theft by a Howard County jury, could now face new charges of attempted murder, assault of a police officer and escape for the 11:30 p.m. incident that briefly left Donald Chase unconscious and sent the veteran officer to the hospital.

A former Baltimore police officer who became a sheriff's deputy in 1996, Chase was taken first to Howard County General Hospital because of cuts on his neck, and then was transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital with a possible eye injury.

The condition of the 64-year officer was not available, but Sheriff James Fitzgerald said that Chase was "coherent" when they spoke by telephone Friday.

Champagne's home, just over the Anne Arundel County line in the 7500 block of Montevideo Court, was searched early Friday, police said. A neighbor later called police after seeing a shutter in one of the house's front windows open and close quickly, and another resident in the mostly rural neighborhood told police that a man in leg shackles was spotted near the home. But Fitzgerald later called the tips "unfounded."

Fitzgerald said that Champagne was the first Howard County prisoner to attack a sheriff's deputy in nearly 20 years, then quickly added that the procedure used to transport prisoners will be "reviewed" next week to help ensure greater safety for officers and the public.

Currently, Howard County uses only one sheriff's deputy to transport prisoners within the county, and only some of the cars are fitted with wire barriers between the back and front seats. Those cars are typically used while transporting prisoners charged with more serious crimes, or people taken into custody who are believed to be on drugs.

Champagne is on probation in Anne Arundel County for a 2007 first-degree assault conviction.

Awaiting the jury's verdict on burglary and theft charges after a two-day trial, Champagne disappeared from the courthouse Thursday night.

He was later talked back into returning by a family member, an officer at the courthouse said Friday.

After the verdict, Champagne had his bond revoked and was placed in handcuffs and leg shackles. The car Chase was driving was stopped at a light and about to make a turn into the detention center when the attack occurred. Police said that Champagne climbed into the front seat and tried to take Chase's gun, but he couldn't get the weapon.

The three-step system that police are taught on taking their gun out from their holster might have saved Chase's life, police said. Unable to get the gun, Champagne crawled out the passenger side window and ran into the woods near the detention center.

After Chase reported what had happened, police began searching the area with a combination of officers, police dogs and two helicopters in the mostly wooded neighborhoods near the detention center, a few miles from the house where Champagne and his mother live.

Champagne was believed to be unarmed at the time of his escape; police said that anyone who sees him should call 911.

Wonder if he had a dash cam to capture any of the struggle.......
 

[patric]

Im looking hopefully forward to the day I might be wrong about this:

Tulsa Police may have cameras in their squad cars in the not-too-distant future, evidently as a result of a potential final settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by black police officers against the city.

On Friday morning — shortly before resigning as chief of police — Ron Palmer told the Tulsa World that putting cameras in marked patrol cars has been the topic of recent discussions within the city and community and in the context of the lawsuit.

...But city lawsuit settlements are typically paid for from the city's sinking fund, which is funded with property taxes. Alternatively, the cameras possibly could be paid for with capital improvement money or grants, but evidently not from the city's general fund, which is where police and firefighter pay comes from.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100125_11_A1_TulsaP519382

So the cost wouldnt come from salaries, but rather the fund they use to pay lawsuits from.
I would also like to see them pursue grant money like every PD under the sun uses to buy their dash cameras.

[Conan71]

I wonder how much trouble they would be in with the NAACP if they started a "White Officer's Coalition"?

[sgrizzle]

I wonder how much trouble they would be in with the NAACP if they started a "White Officer's Coalition"?

Also the NAAWP, cable channel W.E.T. and a mens-only network... no wait, I think they already have the last one.

[Conan71]

Also the NAAWP, cable channel W.E.T. and a mens-only network... no wait, I think they already have the last one.

Several, actually, so I'm told.

[FOTD]

I wonder how much trouble they would be in with the NAACP if they started a "White Officer's Coalition"?

CoCo,

That's just wrong!

[Conan71]

CoCo,

That's just wrong!

Okay fine, they should also start an Indian officer's (red dot or feather type) coalition, Jewish officer's coalition, female officer's coalition, LBGT officer's coalition....

Does that pull me back out of the ditch?