At an upcoming Soldotna City Council meeting on May 14, the council will consider an ordinance to appropriate $169,564 from the city’s general fund to replace the Soldotna Police Department’s body-worn, in-car, interview room, and DUI processing room camera systems.
The ordinance follows a recommendation by Police Chief Stace Escott in a memorandum, citing ongoing technical and administrative challenges with the department’s current system, provided by Visual Labs/Versaterm. Officers reported frequent disconnections between devices, unreliable software updates, and poor audio quality. Other concerns included safety risks from faulty power and mute buttons, oversized body cameras that hinder mobility, and an inefficient evidence management process.
The cost of maintaining the current system has ballooned to over $33,000 annually, not including the original $42,000 investment, leading the department to seek a more reliable alternative.
After evaluating vendors, including Axon and Motorola, the department recommends transitioning to BAYCOM/Panasonic. Their proposal includes advanced features like automatic activation of body cameras when a firearm is drawn, 4K car cameras with panoramic views, and a redaction tower to streamline public records requests.
If approved, $166,016 would go toward new equipment, with an additional $3,548 allocated for the first year of support and maintenance.