Use of the equipment has become “generally expected” of police departments across the country, according to Deputy Chief of Police Jason Stugelmeyer.

“We are looking for the truth,” he said. “The best way to preserve evidence and truth is to have it captured on video and audio.”

Most other law enforcement agencies in the region already have the technology or are in the process of acquiring it.

Lincoln Police began using cameras in early 2020. The Morton County Sheriff’s Office commissioned them in the spring of 2021. The North Dakota Highway Patrol is in the process of purchasing them, according to Sgt. Wade Kadrmas. The Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department is studying several systems, but a decision could take a few years, according to Maj. Jim Hulm. The Mandan Police Department is awaiting the outcome of a grant application before making a purchase, Deputy Chief Lori Flaten said.

In June, Bismarck Police will submit projected costs to the city’s budget committee. If the city commission ultimately approves, financing for the purchase would be available in January. The cameras could be in use by July 2023. The systems presented to the ministry carry prices of $250,000 to $300,000 per year on a five-year contract.

Choosing a system will be based on more than cost, according to Stugelmeyer.

“Some people might say, ‘Hey, just put on a GoPro,'” he said, referring to a brand of consumer video cameras commonly used to capture sports action. “It doesn’t work that way.”

The department wants cameras that will work as a single system with on-board cameras already in use. It’s also important that the cameras activate automatically when an officer pulls out a handgun or Taser, according to Stugelmeyer.

“Sometimes it’s the last thing on your mind if you’re in a stressful situation,” he said of an officer having to manually turn on a camera.

Some systems send recorded video directly to a remote site for storage. Others require Wi-Fi access and some download via a docking station. Most have features that prevent an agent from editing or deleting a video. Composing features are necessary because agents sometimes get into private situations. Only certain staff members could redact, and the video would still be saved in its original form, Stugelmeyer said.

The “vast majority” of officers want the body cameras in order to be protected against false allegations, the deputy chief said, adding that a “national narrative” has crept into Bismarck. Several complaints against officers have been proven false by on-board video, he said, but cameras could also show a complaint is legitimate.

“We are human, we will make mistakes,” he said. “It will be filmed, and of course we want to know about it and correct it. It’s a safety issue for the public and officers.

The department plans to assign each of its 133 officers a camera to avoid changing equipment during shift changes.