Ark Valley News - Bel Aire expands police camera use with Lions Club gift

Bel Aire expands police camera use with Lions Club gift
By David Dinell
Last Updated: January 08, 2015

The Bel Aire Police Department has been able to add two more body cameras for its officers due to a gift from the Bel Aire Lions Club. The club raised the money for the $600 cameras from a variety of community fundraisers and made a special presentation to Police Chief Darrell Atteberry during the Jan. 6 city council meeting.

City officials were pleased about the additional cameras, and said they would be useful for both the police and citizens.

"The cameras are invaluable," said Mayor David Austin. "Now there's proof and accountability."

Sometimes a dispute between a citizen and police gets into a "he said" "she said," scenario, but the cameras, which have audio and can operate in low light conditions, will resolve that, he added.

The city obtained three of the cameras in October and they've already proven useful, Atteberry said, as a citizen lodged a complaint against the department and the conduct of an officer — who had a camera in use.

"The allegations made were false and the camera proved that," he said. "He showed professionalism and we have it on record."

The cameras can be attached in a number of different ways to an officer's uniform and see what the officer views, Atteberry said. The department also has dash cams, but those cameras, installed in vehicles, are limited in their perspective.

Bel Aire joins a nationwide trend of cities that are employing body cameras as part of standard police gear. Officials say the video will not only help in complaints, but in possible lawsuits, too.

While officers can control when they are on or off, the cameras also have the ability to back record up to one minute so that when a camera is switched on, the previous 60 seconds also is preserved on video.

In other action, the council:

•Listened to a State of the City address by Austin before the formal city meeting. Austin's 25-minute address attracted a full house of spectators, including Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer. Austin reviewed the past year for the city and laid out plans for the coming years.

"We have come so far from the very tough and dark time financially a few years back that it seems like a lifetime ago," Austin said in his speech. "So much has been accomplished in 2014. Each day, we strive to be the best Bel Aire we can be, and our rankings prove this."

Those rankings include being named the No. 1 safest small town in Kansas by Movoto Real Estate. Austin also took pride in the fact that the 2015 budget had a zero mill increase and that the city was able to make land payments ahead of schedule and include money for capital equipment.

"Continue to have faith in our city," he urged his speech's observers.

After the speech, he said that the city is going to focus on growth and that the "future looks bright."

•Approved, after some discussion, a change order with Kansas Paving to fix cracked sidewalks in the Tierra Verde Phase 1 project, near 47th North and Webb Road. The vote was 4-1, with council member Betty Martine voting against it.

The situation arose after sidewalk panels were broken by heavy utility trucks. However, it's not known whose vehicles caused the damage. Martine objected to the city taking on all of the cost and said the property owner needs to shoulder some of it, too.

Member Ramona Becker asked if it were possible to get the utility companies to pay, but member Ken Lee said that would be a difficult undertaking.

"You're wasting your time trying that," he said.

•Approved a change order with Kansas Paving in the amount of $3,647. The change involves eliminating a driveway approach in Tierra Verde Phase 2, resulting in a deduction in the contract.

•Approved a change order with Duling Constriction for changes to the lift station at the Sunflower Commerce Park in the amount of $1,200.

•OK'd an agreement with the Greater Wichita YMCA to have it continue using space at the rec center for its Summer Day Camp Program.

•Approved an appropriations ordinance of $770,332, which includes $300,000 for special projects.

•Approved an agreement between the city and the city of Wichita concerning the reconstruction of the one-mile stretch of 37th North between Woodlawn and Oliver. The project is set to take place in 2016 and increase the road from two lanes to three and add curb and guttering.

The well-used section of road is currently in rough shape and does not allow passing or, if traffic is heavy, quick left turns. The project will be overseen by the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

•Heard City Manager Ty Lasher report that Bel Aire would have a booth at the annual home show Feb. 5 through 8 at Century II in Wichita and is seeking volunteers who wish to help out for a shift of a few hours. Contact Lasher at 744-2451 or tlasher@belaireks.gov for more information.

•City offices will be close Jan. 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

All five council members were present at the Jan. 6 meeting. The next council gathering is a workshop set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 13. Topics include marketing of Central Park, changes to the fee structure and marketing incentives on new homes.