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INDIANAPOLIS–The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept. doesn’t have body cams and it could take months before that happens. The Indy chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police is asking city leaders to start testing some of the cams that are available, as a pilot program.

Rick Snyder, president of FOP Lodge #86, said the city and the police department should create a “truth in funding commission”, so the community knows where the money is coming from and how much is being spent on body cams and storage.

“The blessing that has existed with there being a delay in the IMPD launching such a program, is we’ve been able to learn from other agencies who jumped on the technology early, and are now finding they can’t afford to maintain it,” he said.

Audio titled RICK SNYDER INTERVIEW ON BODY CAMS by 93WIBC

A body cam program would also have to include storage costs, and paying people to keep up with and analyze the data.

“Really the unintended consequences and costs that folks don’t think about when they just see the value of having video captured on that traffic stop, they don’t think about all these other issues,” said Snyder. 

He said one of the missions of the commission, if it is created, would be to find a way to pay for the cams, and all of the tech and personnel that comes with them.

“We’re still struggling to hire the officers that we need, and there’s no way that we can utilize existing dollars within the IMPD budget to pay for this,” said Snyder, suggesting that perhaps a bond issue or some other outside revenue source would be used.

He also said the FOP is urging IMPD to equip the department with a technology package that also includes a large number of public safety cams, and a gunshot detector, which would be able to detect shots fired in certain areas.

PHOTOS: Chris Davis/Emmis