City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:May 4, 2004

Item No.:         17

Recommendation: That the Common Council approve the purchase, installation and programming of two additional closed circuit cameras from Westphal & Company, Inc., at a total cost of $6,678.

Background:  During the planning of the new facility, we had decided not to place a camera in the municipal courtroom. We have since observed more and more minor disruptions during court sessions, and we firmly believe that, at some point, the camera will provide documentation of civil unrest. We also feel strongly that the Municipal Judge and the Clerk of Courts may be able to prevent those inclined to disturbances by announcing at the sessions that all proceedings are being recorded. This move will increase the safety of both our non-sworn employees and the citizens in attendance at our court sessions.

The second camera will be set up to observe officers leaving from the detention area into the sally port. Our security procedures in the detention area require that dispatchers observe the all persons entering and exiting the detention area. Originally, we thought the design for camera placement provided enough visual coverage of the sally port exit door. However, coverage of this exit has proved to be inadequate. We cannot redirect existing cameras in any manner that would cover this door without creating a dead space of coverage of the remaining booking area. Our experience has already shown the value of recorded activity during booking in the new facility.

Fiscal Impact:  The cameras, including installation and programming, were quoted by the companies that performed the original work on the closed circuit system. The quotes received were $3,571 for the courtroom camera and $3,107 for the detention area camera, for a total of $6,678. The funding for this purchase would come from the police building project contingency account #01006.

	Respectfully submitted and prepared by: Thomas P. Bauer Chief of Police
Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk

File name: S:\COUNCIL AGENDAS 2004\0504\CC Report--Closed Circuit Cameras.Doc

Print Date: 4/29/2004 2:28 PM

Revision No. 2