Body cams on track to be fully deployed by summer in La Crosse

Getting closer to the launch of body cams for all city police in La Crosse.

Assistant police chief Rob Abraham said his department is on track to fully roll out the Motorola cams by the end of June.

Some will be in use by trainers in the field before that.

Wednesday afternoon on WIZM, Abraham talked about whether the cameras will have an impact on police actions.

“Cameras do have an effect, not only on the officer but also on the citizen,” Abraham said. “When the citizen or the offender knows that they’re being watched by a camera, that they do behave differently.”

Abraham added, however, that La Crosse officers have had squad cams in use for years and are pretty used to the concept, and and it’s rare that a confrontation on the street isn’t captured on someone’s personal cell phone.

“In this day and age you always feel like you’re being recorded no matter what,” Abraham said.

La Crosse will be the first agency to use Motorola’s all new cameras. They are incorporated into the officer’s lapel microphone and connected with the city’s digital radio system.

The cameras cost between $750-$900. La Crosse’s Neighborhood Resources Officers have been wearing the cams for over a year.

The delay in all La Crosse officers getting cameras comes from making sure they got the right kind, Abraham noted.