The state’s new fiscal year began Friday, and one of the initiatives in the new budget will equip Michigan State Police officers with body cameras.
The $3.8 million appropriation will pay for the body cameras and data storage.
State Senator Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) chairs the Senate state police budget subcommittee.
He says body cameras are a tool that can help protect the public from police misconduct and protect officers from false accusations.
“Quite a few local departments, of course, have already been using body cams,” he said. “They’re more and more common nowadays, and we just felt it was important to bring Michigan State Police up to that standard, as well.”
The next step is for the department to issue a call for bids on the project. It’s not clear how long it will take to equip all state police officers with body cams.
