Mayor Indya Kincannon told City Council tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020) that she is committed to providing body-worn cameras to all patrol officers in Knoxville.

Mayor Kincannon announced her support after thoroughly reviewing a report prepared by Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas. Council requested that report, with a January deadline, under former Mayor Madeline Rogero.

Tuesday, Mayor Kincannon delivered the report to Council and said, “I am committed to equipping all patrol officers with body-worn cameras. These cameras will help facilitate a better understanding of situations officers and the public find themselves in every day. Body-worn cameras will be another tool to help us in our mission to have more transparency and accountability.”

The report follows several months of KPD officers testing body-worn cameras. The estimated cost of the equipment and the data management is approximately $1.7 million the first year and about $600,000 each year after.

Mayor Kincannon said, “I hope to roll out body-worn cameras by July 1, 2020. We are seeking a contract with a qualified vendor and plan to incorporate the cost into next year’s budget.”

The full report prepared by Chief Thomas, along with two video clips from KPD’s test period with the body-worn cameras, can be found below. (One of the examples demonstrates the different vantage points of a body-worn camera and an in-car camera.) 

View Full Report Prepared by Chief Thomas [PDF]