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City Council took up waiving competitive bidding to authorize the purchase of Axon body-worn cameras and software at its regular council meeting on March 16.
Mountain Home Police Department requested 30 body worn cameras for its officers for the purpose of replacing existing cameras that are no longer operable.
“I know a lot of departments don’t have body cameras, but I am a big proponent of them,” said Mountain Home Police Chief Eddie Griffin.
The department requested for sign off on purchasing Axon cameras due to the size of the purchase, some $275,000 over a five-year period, and Axon’s reputation with keeping and maintaining one of the United States’ most comprehensive evidence library.
“When we get complaints, often times it’s our word against theirs if you don’t have it,” said Griffin. “It wasn’t too long ago I had a call that said we broke a guys arm. We pull up the body camera– we were chasing the guy– when he tried to jump the fence and landed on the other side and broke his arm.”
Local governments all across the country have seen a rise in the use of body worn cameras over the last decade due to the cameras ability to protect officers and the public in court.
“It clears up those lies, and protects the officer from being lied against,” said Griffin.
New pistols
The Mountain Home Police Department is retiring its Glock 22 and Glock 23 .40 caliber pistols and transitioning to 9mm. The transition will cost approximately $250 per weapon. There are currently 44 Glock pistols in inventory in the .40 caliber version.
“9mm is what the FBI and other agencies have went to,” said Griffin.
In recent years the availability of .40 caliber ammunition has been limited and more costly than the 9mm. The weapons will also be offered to officers to purchase for $300 each.
Retiring shotguns and vehicles
Also on the docket to be retired are all of MHPD’s 12-gauge shotguns that are no longer in use. There are 16 in inventory which will be disposed of. Estimated market value is $150 each and will be offered to officers to purchase first.
If they are not purchased by officers, they will be sold at auction.
Vehicle and equipment approved for destruction or auction is listed below:
- 2003 Ford Ambulance Vin # 1FDWF36F5YEA44513 with 194,574 miles – Auction
- 2011 BMW Motorcycle Vin # WB1044005BZW19126 with 25,589 miles – Auction
- 1 dog kennel/cage out of a 2009 Ford Crown Vic – Scrap Metal
- 1 whole cage out of a Crown Vic – Scrap Metal
- 1 whole cage out of a 2014 Toyota Camry – Scrap Metal
- 1 half cage out of a 2015 Toyota Camry – Scrap Metal
- 2 half cages out of old Dodge Chargers – Scrap Metal
- 1 push bumper off a 2009 Ford Crown Vic – Scrap Metal
- Window bars off Ford Crown Vics and old Dodges – Scrap Metal
- 9 old consoles from out of service vehicles – Scrap Metal
- Several of the old-style computer stands that will not fit the new style consoles or computers. –Scrap Metal
- 9 old bar lights (5 off Crown Vics 3 off Dodge Chargers and 1 off a Ford Mustang) – Destroy
- Several unusable siren control and light switch boxes out of the old units. – Destroy
- Several unusable radars – Destroy
- Various brackets and equipment from old units. – Destroy
The above listed items designated as scrap metal will be donated to the Mountain Home Citizen Police Academy Association. They will scrap the items and the funds raised will be donated back to benefit Mountain Home Police Department.
Records, case files destruction
According to Record Retention Laws for Arkansas Municipalities Destruction/Retention Laws (code ann. 14-2-204 & code ann 16-10-21) records are eligible for destruction after 3 years.
The city of Mountain Home will destroy case files dating back to 1975, the newest case files marked for destruction are from 2015. Step grant documentation between 2016-2019 will also be destroyed.
The following documents will be destroyed:
- Box #1- 1993 Case files
- Box #2- 1992-1993 Case files
- Box #3- 1991-1992 Case files
- Box #4- 1991 Case files
- Box #5- 1990 Case files
- Box #6- 1998-1990 Case files
- Box #7- 1984-1987 Case files
- Box #8- 1975-1984 Case files
- Box #9- 1997 Case files
- Box #10- 1996 Case files
- Box #11- 1995-1996 Case files
- Box #12- 1995 Case files
- Box #13- 1994-1995 Case files
- Box #14- 1993-1994 Case files
- Box #15- 2000 Case files
- Box #16- 1999 Case files
- Box #17- 1998-1999 Case files
- Box #18- 1998 Case files
- Box #19- 1997-1998 Case files
- Box #20- 1999 Case files Juvenile Files 2000-2011
- Box #21- 1997 Case files
- Box #22- 2000-2001 Case files
- Box #23- 2001 Case files
- Box #24- 2009 Case files
- Box #25- 2006,2009 Case files
- Box #26- 2003-2006 Case files
- Box #27- 2003 Case files
- Box #28- 2002 Case files
- Box #29- 2001-2002 Case files
- Box #30- 2009-2010 Case files
- Box #31- 1986-1998 Juvenile Case files
- Box #32- 1998-2011 Juvenile Case files
- Box #33- 2010 Case files
- Box #34- Step Grant Documentation 2017, 2018, 2019
- Box #35- Step Grant Documentation 2016, 2017
- Box #36- 2011 Case files
- Box #37- 2011-2012 Case files
- Box #38- 2012 Case files
- Box #39- 2012-2013 Case files
- Box #40- 2013 Case files
- Box #41- 2013-2014 Case files
- Box #42- 2014 Case files
- Box #43- 2014-2015 Case files
- Box #44- 2015 Case files
- Box #45- 2015 Case files Juvenile Case files 2000-2001
All contents within the folders have been checked and are within iSOMS, Virtual Justice (District Court System), or F Drive Storage.
The records above could include the following: handwritten citations/warnings, incident report involving subject listed on file, accident reports involving the listed subject on file (if fault is shown), handwritten District Court fine payments prior to the current digital court system, Freedom of Information requests on subject listed on file, Motion of Discovery on subject listed on file.
