'This is the expectation of law enforcement': Naperville police body camera system ready to hit the streets

The Naperville Police Department's new body camera system is ready to hit the streets.

Police Chief Jason Arres said Thursday the first batch of about 20 officers will receive two hours of training and begin using the body cameras next week. By the end of June, each of the department's 177 officers will have the cameras.

Implementation of the Axon camera system has been months in the making, starting in the fall with the testing of three different companies' cameras. In February, the Naperville City Council approved a five-year, $2.3 million contract with Axon.

The first-year cost of $483,000 is included in the city's 2022 budget. In addition to the cameras, the city will receive technical support, cloud-based data storage, an application for using the system and installation. The department also has the option of trading in cameras for new ones midway through the contract.

The system, which eventually will include the replacement of in-car cameras for 50 department vehicles, will be in place six months before the state mandate for body-worn cameras takes effect in January for cities the size of Naperville.

"Our folks are excited to have the cameras," Arres said. "This is the expectation for law enforcement."

The cameras are always on while officers are wearing them, but the video is automatically recorded over after 18 hours. They're "activated" when the police car's lights are turned on or the officer taps twice on the front of the camera.

When the cameras are docked at the end of a shift, the "activated" portions of the video are automatically uploaded. If the officer forgets to tap the camera during a traffic stop or other police activity, the video still can be accessed as long as it's manually uploaded within the 18-hour window.

In addition to the ability to archive the video, the Axon system allows the option of livestreaming an officer's camera.

Arres said the three most-beneficial elements of the system are the evidence the department gathers, the opportunity to provide extra training based on the video and officer accountability.

"Right after they get that training and they go out - whether it's in their beats as detectives or any other job they serve here at the department - they will have the cameras on their persons," Arres said.