Keene Police Department Implements New Body-

Worn and In-Car Video Systems

KPD vehicles line up outside their headquarters to prepare for new camera systems

By Jack Dey

The Keene Police Department has announced a major technological upgrade to its operations

with the implementation of 44 body-worn cameras and 16 in-car video systems. Keene received

a total of $489,000 for the acquisition, training, and support of 44 body-worn cameras and 16 in-

car video systems.

The new program is expected to bring about significant changes to the way the Keene police

department operates.

“A goal of the KPD is to maintain trust and transparency between the KPD, our citizens, and the

community in order to promote positive criminal justice outcomes,” said Chief of Police Steven

Stewart.

The KPD mission is to protect and to maintain order within the city while assuring fair and

respectful treatment of everyone, these new camera systems can help the ongoing culture of

openness and responsibility the KPD lives by.

The investment includes a $415,000 congressionally directed spending award and a state grant of

$50,000. The department also received just under $14,000 for training and over $24,000 for

support equipment.

“We ultimately received a grant from the state in addition to congressionally directed funds

which offset the first five years of spending for this program,” said Keene City Manager

Elizabeth Dragon.

Body-worn and in-car video systems have quickly become one of the main ways to protect not

only the safety of citizens but the safety of police officers as well. In 2014, researchers at

Arizona State University found that officers with body-worn cameras were more productive in

terms of making arrests, had fewer complaints lodged against them relative to officers without

body-worn cameras, and had higher numbers of citizen complaints resolved in their favor. A

similar study carried out with the Rialto Police Department in California found comparable

reductions in the number of citizen complaints against officers who wore body-worn cameras

and in the frequency of police use-of-force incidents.

Residents of Keene expressed relief and hope for greater police accountability following the

announcement that the town's police department has been approved for the new camera systems,

believing this was a step in the right direction for any police department.

“It's important that we hold our law enforcement officials accountable for their actions, and

equally as important our police officers are protected,” said Keene resident Yelena Rodolitz.
The city of Keene Police Department was given a grant from the state of New Hampshire to

implement 44 new body-worn cameras and 16 in-car video camera systems. The focus of this

print story is to go over how Keene was able to afford this major upgrade, and what it means for

the expectations of KPD going forward. Interviewing the City Council, Keene Police

Department, and residents of Keene can not only tell us how this was able to come about, and

what this means for the responsibility of the KPD going forward.

Sources

Elizabeth Dragon, Keene City Council, edragon@keenehnh.gov, 603-357-9804

Steven Stewart, Chief of Police, sstewart@keenenh.gov , 603-357-9813

Yelena Rodolitz, Keene City Resident, yelena.rodolitz@keene.edu, 603-209-3095

Documentary Sources

City Council Meeting - LIVE - 04/06/23 - YouTube

Body-Worn Cameras: What the Evidence Tells Us | National Institute of Justice (ojp.gov)

Police Statement-emailed from Elizabeth Dragon

Police Department

City of Keene, New Hampshire

Date: March 7, 2022

To: Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee

Through: Elizabeth Dragon, City Manager

From: Steven Russo, Police Chief

Subject: Body Worn Camera and In-Car Video System Implementation

Recommendation:

Move that the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee recommend that the City

Manager be authorized to do all things necessary to begin implementation of the above program,

apply for and accept any available grant funding related to the Body Worn Camera program

funding and, pursuant to Section 2-1336 of the City of Keene Code of Ordinances, waive Section

2-1332 (1), and Section 2-1335.

Background:

In June of 2020, as a result of a petition put forth, the City Council directed tasked the City

Manager (CM) to have the Keene Police Department (KPD) research the implementation of a

Body Worn Camera (BWC) system for the KPD. We immediately formed a research group.

In July 2020 we began to receive quotes and bring in vendors for product demonstrations. By the

end of July 2020 we had selected the one vendor that we felt best met our needs, BodyWorn by

Pileum Corporation.

On August 27, 2020 I appeared before the Finance, Organization, and Personnel (FOP)

committee and presented our initial findings. Our goal was to seek support to move forward with

a Trial and Evaluation (T&E) period for the BWC’s and In-Car Video (ICV) systems. The FOP,

and ultimately the full Council, supported moving forward with the T&E period.

The T&E occurred in November 2020 and was documented in a January 29, 2021 memo

outlining our findings and recommendations and presented to the FOP on February 11, 2020.

Our recommendation at that time was to delay any decision until several possible funding

mechanisms worked their way through the State and Federal legislation.
As we speak, we have applied for a US DOJ matching grant for $100,000, and a State matching

grant for $50,000.

The current cost of a five-year paid up-front contract for 44 BWC’s and 16 ICV systems is

$445,025.This is inclusive of equipment, software, and support.

Additional costs for training ($13,925), and necessary support equipment ($25,765) is $39,690,

for a total implementation cost of approximately $484,715.

If matching funds of $150,000 are obtained, this would leave Keene with a total cost of $334,715

for this 5-year program.

We would like to start the process as soon as possible once concurrence is received from the

Council.