Janesville Police Department to implement body cameras after approval of policy

The Janesville Police Department will implement body-worn cameras after getting them in March.

The Janesville City Council approved the use of a body-worn cameras policy made by the Police Department at its May 13 meeting. The policy will go into effect June 1.

The purpose of using body-worn cameras is to capture evidence that arises from police encounters with citizens. The policy sets guidelines governing the use of the camera and administering the data that results from them.

The cameras were purchased by the city of Janesville earlier in the year with Public Safety Aid money received by the city from the state of Minnesota.

The city council held a comment period for the public to share their thoughts on the cameras at their March meeting. This was required for the city to due with adopting the body-worn cameras, but nobody from the community voiced their concerns about them.

A policy was then made about the cameras, which was also required. Janesville Chief of Police Steve Johnson was at the may 13 City Council meeting and went over the details of the policy with the council.

Johnson stated that they used the same policy that was adopted by Blooming Prairie. Former Chief of Police Dave Ulmen worked on the policy before he retired, then Johnson took over the policy-making process once he got promoted.

While Johnson and Sergeant Mark Vanderwilt still have some work to do when it comes to having the footage from the cameras to upload into their system, they will be ready to have the body-worn cameras ready to go by June 1.

“As soon as Mark is able to get the electronics figured out and running properly, we’ll be able to implement as long as we have this policy in place,” Johnson said to the council before they voted to approve the policy.

Officers will have to activate their body-worn cameras when they respond to all calls for service and during all law-enforcement related encounters and activities according to the policy. Officers have the discretion to record or not to record general citizen contacts.

They will have to document the circumstances and reasons why they did not have their cameras recording during an incident report if they have their cameras turned off. They also have no affirmative duty to inform people that a body-worn camera is being operated or that the individuals are being recorded.

Council member Andy Ahlman moved to accept the body-worn camera policy with Mayor Andrew Arnoldt seconding it. The policy was approved unanimously 4-0 by the council, with council Jim Mulcahey absent at the meeting.