FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) – Fond du Lac Police are hosting a pair of community-wide listening sessions to gather feedback on their drafted plans for a body-worn camera program, which is set to begin this spring.
“These listening sessions are integral to our deployment. We have the vendor coming on site next week to train up our instructors so we can get that training department-wide,” said Police Chief Aaron Goldstein. “I really do believe it plays a valuable role today in present-day policing. One of the things I see is it helps us provide transparency in what we do, what our practices are, what our policies are, what our procedures are…”It’s just another tool and another look at the interactions we have on a daily basis.”
The policy will address best practices, when an officer should activate or deactivate a camera, how an officer should notify the public about recording, what types of privacy protections should be put in place, and more.
Goldstein says there’s simply no way he could describe every single possible situation in which a body-worn camera should be used. That’s why the department is setting up every squad car and officer with their own.
“We’ll get cameras on all of our officers, including myself. I said ‘it starts with me,’ and I’m going to have a camera on myself all the way down to our newest officer, and then it also includes the interview rooms. So everything will be on the same system,” Goldstein told WTAQ News.
Full deployment of the body-worn cameras is set for April 1st. It’s about an $800,000 investment.
But again, Goldstein says input from the community on a program like this is absolutely vital.
“Learning about our community’s expectations in these listening sessions is an essential way for us to have a successful program,” Goldstein said. “I truly believe that an informed community is an engaged community. So in these listening sessions, I want to learn what their expectations are of the use. I really believe as our community is engaged, it’ll help us shape how we police.”
The draft policy (423 – Body Worn Cameras and Audio Recorders) has been posted on their website (www.fdlpolice.com) under the Accreditation tab for the community to review.
The in-person sessions are set for Monday, February 21st from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday, February 25th from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. in the City Council Chambers.
