Officers with the Houston Police Department are now equipped with body-worn cameras and will record video and audio of each contact made with the public.
HPD Chief Jim McNiell said the department’s three cameras were put into service for the first time last Saturday.
“We have them if we need them now,” McNiell said.
The devices will be shared by the agency’s six full-time officers.
“We’ll see about getting three more if the city council feels comfortable that these are the cameras to go with in the long run,” McNiell said.
The “FirstVu HD” model body cameras are made by Digital Ally, of Lenexa, Kan., and cost $795 apiece. A two-year parts and labor warranty against manufacturer’s defects was also purchased for each unit for an additional $195 apiece.
The cameras employ a rechargeable battery pack that sits inside officers’ shirt pockets, while the small camera portion clips to the outside of the pocket.