(The Center Square) – All of Madison’s police officers who interact with the public will have body cameras by the end of 2027 after the Madison Community Foundation pledged a $350,000 grant to the city to pay for software and civilian personnel costs that are part of the plan.
The topic has come up for years as departments across the state and country have required body cameras but Madison has not. The topic was heightened again after Madison Police shot and killed Corey Durell Ruiz in July.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway had previously announced a three-year plan to fund police body cameras starting in 2027. The grant will push up that timeline.
“Body-worn cameras are an essential tool in modern policing and will help support our department's values of transparency and accountability," Madison Police Chief John Patterson said in a statement.
Rhodes-Conway said that she will now propose to amend the city’s 2027 capital budget to fund a match for a federal grant to fund the purchase of the full complement of body-worn cameras in 2027.
“Every municipality in Wisconsin faces tough choices due to state restrictions on spending,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “This grant gives the city time to annualize this program's costs without having to delay full implementation. Thank you to the Madison Community Foundation for offering to be part of the solution."