As other towns struggle to cover the costs of body cameras, South Windsor is praising the organization that made it possible for their department to purchase them.
The Hartford Evergreen Lodge of Freemasons donated $26,000 to the South Windsor Police Department, which allowed them to purchase a total of 24 cameras. They have uploaded 500 GB of video since the first shipment of cameras came in July. They received another shipment last week.
"It’s going to capture everything as the officer sees it as it unfolds," Deputy Chief Scott Custer said. "We think they’re a great tool for increasing peoples trust in law enforcement for documenting evidence."
It is a pricey investment because they have to purchase more than just the cameras. They also have to pay for a storage system. It is something Deputy Chief Custer says would not have been possible this year without the help of the Hartford Evergreen Lodge of Freemasons.
The town issued them a proclamation Tuesday night and thanked them for their donation. It is a stark contrast to departments like Berlin who quit using the cameras because of problems with cost and video storage. South Windsor police say knowing that just makes them appreciate the donation even more. The Freemasons say they are reaching out to see if they can help more.
"We spoke to a lot of lodges who are just so impressed by it and they’re trying to find ways to be involved in the community and help out the police as well," Dwaine Clarke, who spearheaded the effort said.
Lawmakers say they plan on discussing the financial burden of body cameras during the next legislative session.
