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In an announcement on Wednesday, June 5, the Yorktown Town Board said it has approved the purchase of body cameras for the Yorktown Police Department as part of an over $478,000 contract with Axon Enterprises.
Officers are expected to begin wearing the cameras during the summer.
Additionally, the five-year contract also includes the purchase of cloud storage and taser-like devices for the department, officials said.
The purchases follow a report on the town's police department conducted by the Yorktown Coalition on Community Safety and Engagement and released in 2021. One of the report's recommendations was the use of body cameras, according to Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman.
"The purchase of these body cameras demonstrates the Town Board’s commitment to transparency and professionalism," Lachterman added.
The 2021 report was prepared in accordance with an executive order from former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which required all local governments to perform a comprehensive review of their police forces.
According to Yorktown officials, the town's police department operates at "one of the highest professional levels possible" and is an accredited police agency by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.
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