Wichita Police Launch Dash Cam Pilot Project
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Wichita Police Launch Dash Cam Pilot Project
The Wichita Police Department is trying out video cameras in eight patrol cars. They hope the video will help as evidence in their cases.
Reporter: Deb Farris
Email Address: deb.farris@kake.com
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The Wichita Police Department is trying out video cameras in eight patrol cars. They hope the video will help as evidence in their cases.

For one year, this pilot program will use the cameras to record every stop the officer makes. The hope is that eventually all cars will have the equipment.

"Gives you the opportunity to get evidence that you may never get or you may have lost," said Officer Kiser.

KAKE News rode along with Officer Kiser to see how the cameras work. When Kiser clocks a driver speeding, he turns on his lights and sirens, which activate the recording.

"Lets say you're chasing a car and someone throws out guns or drugs it's very vital to be able to say hey lets see exactly where it is," Kiser said.

This new system costs about $5,000 per vehicle. Two marked patrol cars from each of Wichita's four substations will carry the new cameras.

Officers will now have evidence of their interaction with the people they pull over. If a driver files some kind of complaint against an officer, the video will be used as evidence in the investigation.

The Wichita Police Department will evaluate the system periodically. A local community group is hoping to raise enough money to install cameras in all 176 patrol cars in the future.


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