MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The city of Memphis is one step closer to making body cameras for law enforcement a reality, and it couldn’t come at a better time.
Just days ago, Memphis Police Officer Connor Schilling shot and killed Darius Stewart during a traffic stop in the 5700 block of Winchester Road.
The event was just another reminder how body cameras in Memphis has been a long time coming.
If police get them as planned in September, it would be three years after a deadly crash when the mayor first called for them.
“We’re not sparing any cost on this,” Mayor A C Wharton told WREG. ” We’re going to get it done and again, we are on schedule.”
Tuesday the city drafted and sent contracts to three different companies for different services related to the body cameras, dash cams and GPS in patrol cars.
If those companies do sign, the cameras will be up and running by September 1.
“I said we would be operational by the fall, and we’re right on schedule. As I said, we’ve already done the field test right here in Memphis,” Wharton said.
Council member Joe Brown said he was hopeful the cameras would protect the citizens, officers and the city all in one.
“Sometimes there’s a complaint filed against a law enforcement personnel that is not true. It’s the same way with the citizens,” he said.
Wharton said he hoped they would make future police investigations easier to piece together.
“Everybody wants to make sure that they’re exercising those responsibilities in a responsible and fair manner,” said Wharton.
Mayor Wharton did not know the names of the body camera companies, but his office said they would let us know when the deals were made final.