Body cameras come to Walla Walla
By Terry Murry on Thursday, June 8th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Officers with the Walla Walla Police Department are now wearing new Axon body-worn cameras.
WWPD has been working with the city council to budget, fund and implement body worn cameras for some time. The total package costs about $1 million and is spread over five years, at about $200,000 per year. The cost includes new cameras, new tasers, holster sensors and a records technician position.
The new cameras are accompanied by tasers that interact with the cameras as well as holster sensors. If an officer draws a firearm or activates a taser to the on position, the cameras will automatically activate and start recording.
Additionally, a new records position was created to handle the public records requests that come with body worn cameras. WWPD footage is stored on Axon Cloud servers.
Officers began wearing the new cameras on Monday. Chief Chris Buttice said WWPD’s goal for the body camera program is transparency.
Photo via Walla Walla Police Department
