Cary town manager touted body cams for police officers
CARY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Two weeks before a deadly officer-involved shooting in Cary, the town manager recommended in his budget proposal outfitting police officers with body cameras.
Cary Police Chief Tony Godwin said Officer A.J. Lopez, who fired his weapon early Sunday morning, killing burglary suspect Shaquian Johnson, 22, was not wearing a body camera at the time and neither were any of the other officers involved - the only eyewitnesses to the shooting.
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Sean Stegall, Cary town manager, told ABC11 that he's recommending body cameras for police officers in his FY2018 budget proposal, presented to town council on May 11.
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Stegall said from his point of view, body-worn cameras are just as vital as patrol cars in this day and age.
Right now, Cary's police department has 10 working body cameras; though Godwin said they are available for anyone to use, only motorcycle officers wear them on a daily basis since they don't have dash cams.
A spokesperson for the Town of Cary said it most recently purchased four new body cameras in January, costing $2,156.
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In its budget, $15,000 is allotted for the maintenance of body cameras and dash cams.
The town council is set to continue reviewing Stegall's FY2018 budget proposal at its next work session June 6.
