Make wishtv.com your home page

Funding for IMPD body cameras topic of discussion

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Mayor Greg Ballard will present his eighth consecutive balanced budget to the Indianapolis City-County Council Monday at 7 p.m.

The budget comes after public cries for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to purchase body cameras for all officers on the department.

The heighten pressure for body cameras comes after police said 15-year-old Andre Green and two others were accused of carjacking a man.

Police found Green in the stolen car. Instead of surrendering, police said Green drove toward officers. Officers fired shots, killing Green. In the aftermath there was no video of the shooting.

It’s estimated that it will cost between $2 million to $4 million to outfit every IMPD officer with the cameras. The department has applied for two federal grants. IMPD is competing against police departments in Chicago, Los Angles and Denver.

Indianapolis currently has $250,000 to fund the cameras.

Ballard is including funds in his proposed budget for a new mayor to allocate those funds in desired areas. One area could be for body cameras.

“It’s the most important project I’ve worked on, ” said IMPD Lt. Mark Wood.

IMPD is currently looking at other vendors to assist in funding to add the body cameras.