Replacement Of Video Camera Systems In Police Fleet Tabled

The first regular meeting on January 9 of a new West Seneca, New York Town Board was highlighted by the removal, and then retabling, of a proposed item to replace a pair of video camera systems in the town’s police fleet. The town’s two new board members, Eugene P. Hart and John M. Rusinski, flanked new Supervisor Sheila M. Meegan on the three-member board.

Hart, in his first move on the board, successfully brought the proposed purchase of the video systems — with an estimated cost of $5,000 — off the table and motioned for its passage before it was quickly returned to the table when Rusinski said he wanted to gain more information about the program from West Seneca Police Chief Edward F. Gehen.

Gehen lauded the in-car video systems, a program that the town has implemented since 1996. Currently, eight of the town’s ten patrol units are equipped with video. Gehen says the video has proved effective in investigation, as well as law enforcement and public safety.

"They are extremely valuable to law enforcement not just here but across the country," Gehen said. "In my opinion, they increase officers’ safety." Gehen said the cost per unit is about $5,000, half of which is reimbursed by the distributor on a trade-in of existing video equipment. Installation of the units runs roughly "a couple hundred dollars." The money has been budgeted for the Police Department, he said.

The chief said only the two supervising lieutenants’ patrol cars are not equipped with the video because they typically don’t execute the volume of traffic stops that patrol officers perform so, for cost reasons, those cars weren’t equipped.

The reason for returning the measure to the table, according to board members, is to allow time for Rusinski and Hart to get "up to speed" on the issue. Both expect to learn more from Gehen about the program in the coming days. "If it’s a safety issue, I think it should be in all the cars," Hart said. "I want to hear more about it. I have no documentation. I know nothing about it."

Rusinski suggested during the meeting that installing them in the entire police fleet would be advantageous, if safety’s at stake. However, he said he needs to learn more about the value of the program from Gehen.

Meegan said the board tabled the matter last month to allow the incoming board to consider the measure on its own merits. "I wanted both board members to be privy to the information I’ve received," said Meegan.

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