Springfield Police Getting More Cameras For CarsSpringfield police are preparing to mount 10 new video cameras in squad cars. It's a second pair of eyes that can protect the officer and the public when stories don't match up and discrepancies occur. The cameras are mounted on the dash, recording activity while officers are on watch and patrol. Seven squad cars already have them, bringing the department up to 17 cameras in total. A $48,000 Watch Guard grant is paying for the purchase. "That officer also has that added security that everything he's doing is on video, and we've all seen the videos on television on what happens during traffic stops," Springfield Police Deputy Chief Bob Markovic said. "So that's a tool for us to be able to stop and look to see what we did wrong, what we can do better, what we did right." We asked why there aren't more of them. Markovic said the cameras are expensive, and the department relies on grant funding for them. That's drying up, with more agencies competing for funds. Surveillance video has proven to be an effective tool. Springfield police recently rolled out Skywatch, a mobile surveillance trailer used to monitor troubled areas or large events. Police said Skywatch and these cameras are basically like having another officer on the street. In some cases, they deter crime because people know they're rolling. Skywatch will be downtown this weekend for St. Patrick's Day festivities, monitoring all the activity. Story by NewsChannel20.
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