Hawthorn Woods police replace 'outdated' equipment
Sometimes the best backup a police officer can have is a video camera — something most Hawthorn Woods cops haven't had in years.
In order to keep up with neighboring police departments that are fully-equipped with video technology, Hawthorn Woods village officials this week approved the purchase of nearly $40,000 worth of video equipment for squad cars and the police station.
Police Chief Jennifer Paulus said her department hasn't replaced broken video equipment for years, leaving it with only one working squad car video system and a nonfunctioning booking room digital video recorder (DVR).
“As they continue to fail, it got to the point where it's easier to just replace and upgrade everything,” Paulus said.
When a crime has been committed or a police officer is accused of wrongdoing, authorities often turn to video tapes for evidence.
Paulus said in the past she was able to use technology to exonerate officers who were falsely accused of acting unprofessionally.
“People call and complain — I say come in the station and I'll sit with you, and we'll watch the tape together,” she said. “Then they never come in or call back.”
The police department will use $39,849 in Canadian National Railway funds — money awarded to the village about two years ago to spend on public safety — to buy five new squad video cameras and servers, a new police booking DVR system, and a portable video camera surveillance system.
The squad car video cameras will be used to tape traffic accidents, driving under the influence stops, street activity, and to monitor people in the back seat of the squad cars. The tape automatically records when the car's lights and siren are activated.
“As technology changes, we have to stay with it,” Paulus said. “Gone are the days with the VHS recorders in the trunk.”
The booking room video equipment will tape interrogations. The portable video recording system, which will be temporarily used at the Hawthorn Woods Aquatic Center, will be used for criminal investigations such as repeated park vandalism or construction theft.
John Kennedy, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, a nationally recognized organization representing law enforcement executives from across the state, said it's critical for all police departments to have up-to-date equipment.
“For crime prevention, the most up-to-date equipment is for the benefit of the public and public safety of the citizens,” Kennedy said. “It's common practice for police stations to have it.”
Police: Department will use Canadian National Railway funds