Springfield City Council decides to keep funding for police body cameras

Springfield City Council decides to keep funding for police body cameras

The entire budget for fiscal year 2021 will be voted on at next Monday's city council meeting where there will be public comment.

11" tonight the springfield city council decided to move forward with funding springfield police department's body camera program.

Thank you for joining us, i'm chynna greene.

Kezi nine news reporter connor mccarthy is live outside city hall in springfield where a protest was held earlier today in support of keeping body cameras on officers.

Chynna-- it was only a few hours ago over 150 people gathered here behind me rallying in support of body cameras for springfield police officers.

The program was originally proposed to be cut but the city council decided to keep it... showing community members that the council was listening.

Springfield police chief rick lewis and city staff proposed to cut the program as a way to save over 350-thousand dollars in funding and jobs in the department.

The springfield city council is looking to cut over 800-thousand dollars from their budget to prepare for a budget shortfall due to the pandemic.

The chair of the community alliance of lane county told me before any decision was made tonight... that the fight for police accountability does not stop here.

If i could send a message to black lives matter.

I'd say conitune to protest.

We're not hear not here to die for a cause, we're here to live for the cause and this is one that is really really important.

The city council and the mayor did agree having body cameras is a vital tool for the police department.

The council has been discussing impletmenting the tool as far back as 2015.

Chynna-- now the body camera program is only in it's trial phase.

The city still has to purchase the cameras that the police department estimates will cost of 155-thousand dollars.

They are looking for federal grant money to buy them.

When it comes to the budget, that will officially be voted on at next monday's city council meeting.

Live in springfield connor mccarthy kezi