Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Council okays CPD body and in-car cameras purchase

Back To Front Page

 

By KEVIN NEVERS

The Chesterton Town Council has approved the purchase of a body and in-car camera system for use by CPD officers.

At their meeting Monday night, members voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing a “special purchase” of the system--Bodyworn by Utility Associates Inc.--under Indiana Code 5-22-10.

Total cost over five years: $212,900.

The resolution was necessary so as to exempt the CPD from going out to bid, Associate Town Attorney Julie Paulson explained, after Police Chief Dave Cincoski determined that the Bodyworn system “costs much less than competing systems and has a much higher functionality.” Paulson noted in particular that one of those competing systems would cost the town an additional $347,000 over five years for the same electronic storage offered by Bodyworn.

Cincoski told members that, though in-car camera systems have been in use for quite some time, the tech has recently “vastly improved.” Body cams, on the other hand, are relatively new--in use for some three to five years--and until now, Cincoski said, he’s been content to take a wait-and-see approach to their acquisition.

Member Emerson DeLaney, R-5th--and the council’s liaison to the CPD--attended a demo of the Bodyworn system in January. “This body cam by far is head and shoulders above the rest,” he told his colleagues.

“I read your report and it looks like it’s a lot better than the other two systems,” agreed Member Dane Lafata, D-3rd.

Cincoski noted that funds for the acquisition have already been budgeted and will come out of a couple of different line items: Radio/Communications and Training.

At its meeting last week, the Police Commission endorsed a new Standard Operating Procedure governing the use of body and in-car cameras, as reported in detailed by the Chesterton Tribune in its Friday, Feb. 8, edition.

Special Projects Coordinator

In other business, members voted unanimously to name MS4 Operator Jennifer Gadzala the town’s Special Projects Coordinator, a newly created part-time position whose brief is the implementation of projects to “enhance Chesterton’s economic, beautification, and vitalization goals.”

Gadzala will report to Town Manager Bernie Doyle and Town Engineer Mark O’Dell.

The position pays $2,500 in the first year, with a bump in the second to $5,000 based on performance.

Numerous municipal employees applied for the position, Doyle told the council, and he and DeLaney--who together reviewed the applications--were impressed by just how “diverse and deep the talent pool is” in the town. “Sometimes we need to be reminded of that.”

West Morgan Ave.

Meanwhile, Utility Superintendent Dave Ryan reported that he’s hopeful the contractor on the West Morgan Ave. sewer re-lining project will finish the job this week.”

“We’ve had some weather challenges,” Ryan said.

Comprehensive Plan Committee

Doyle requested and was granted authorization to form a Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, after noting that the Comprehensive Plan hasn’t been amended since 2010.

“It’s a pretty good plan,” Doyle said. “We just need to update it.”

Lafata agreed. “We need to know where that’s going,” he said.

Longevity

The council also recognized the following municipal employees for their longevity:

* 30 years: Richard Fancher, Building Department; Mark Lynk, Street Department.

* 25 years: Superintendent Bruce Mathias, Park Department; Det. Sgt. Chunk Rinker, Police Department; and Paul Williams, Utility.

* 20 years: Chief Dave Cincoski and Det. Sgt. Randy Komisarcik, Police Department.

* 15 years: Capt. Aimee Gilbert and Lt. Steve Himan, Fire Department; Clint Iler, Utility; Sgt. Dave Virijevich, Police Department.

* 10 years: Joyce Kaleta and Debra Schoenfelt, Utility; Zachary Lynk, Street Department and Stormwater Utility; Sherry White, Building Department.

* Five years: Officer Michael Manion, Police Department; Firefighter Stephen Sloan, Fire Department.

 

Posted 2/12/2019

 
 
 
 

 

 

Search This Site:

Custom Search