Buffalo Township police to deploy body cameras in August
Buffalo Township police officers will debut 11 body cameras, six built-in car cameras and seven upgraded tasers in the beginning of August, according to the police chief.
Chief Tim Derringer signed a five-year contract earlier this month with Axon at $178,736.35, which includes all of the new equipment, cloud storage for the video and accessories.
“We’ve never had body cameras or in-car cameras,” Derringer said.
He thanked the community, Axon and the Butler County District Attorney’s Office for assisting with finding the right deal and providing funding for the cameras. Derringer said he is also looking for grants to help fund the upgrades.
“We’ve gathered more than $30,000 in donations from local businesses,” Derringer said.
Although body cameras are not mandatory for police, they protect police and the public by assisting in evidence gathering and preservation, Derringer said.
The new tasers, Axon’s Taser 10, were designed to reduce ineffective deployments caused by misses, loose or thick clothing, limited probes or pulling the probes out. It has a maximum range of 45 feet with 10 probes able to be fired without reloading, according to Axon.
Derringer started the process of getting body cameras in late fall or early spring, he said. The contract with Axon lasts through January 2031.
The department has 12 officers including Derringer.
