Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett is set to meet with the district attorney’s office and other Hays County officials to discuss the best path to update the department’s two “outdated” in-car video camera systems.
Besides updating the existing systems in two of the department’s patrol cars, Barnett said he hopes the city, in partnership with the county, can find a cost effective avenue that would allow them to outfit the mental health officer and the warrant processing officer’s vehicles. Both of those vehicles do not have in-car cameras.
Barnett said the move is to transition to the Data 911 system, which the department switched to in 2014. The two units, however, are on the older and out-of-date Coban system.
“We’re going to meet with the district attorney’s office and the Hays County government and see if there is any preferred camera system that they would like to see the police department move toward ... And also we’re going to see if there’s any opportunities for us to work together with them to perhaps reduce the costs for purchasing any system that we decide to go with.”
Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett
Barnett said working with the county to determine which camera system is best for the cars is important as Kyle police regularly provide the district attorney’s office with in-car footage.
Police agencies are required by Texas law to have in-car video camera systems in vehicles which are regularly used for traffic stops. Barnett said the cameras help support information that’s also tracked through the annual racial profiling report.
“Cameras also help show transparency, that’s another big thing. Lastly, they provide evidence that is needed in today’s prosecution of cases,” Barnett said. “Today’s jury members want to see video and when it’s available and officers are able to capture evidence on video, that certainly more meaningful to a jury than just hearing an officer testify what they saw or heard.”
Upgrading the two existing camera systems is a “project in the works,” he said.
And although Kyle police hope to be able to add cameras to two more vehicles, no final decisions have been made.
An estimated cost for the project has yet to be determined, but depending on the size of the project, Barnett said the department might need to ask the council for additional funds for the systems.
