Aug 1, 2023 2 min read

The city of Washington Police Department is looking to purchase six additional body worn cameras, as well as the associated storage and one docking station.

The cost for the purchases $24,152 for a five-year deal with Motorola Solutions. The cameras and docks, along with two years of storage carry a price tag of $22,352 to be covered by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) funding. The additional storage would be covered by the city at a cost of $1,800.

The police department received a PCCD grant of a bit less than $300,000 this year, a grant that was originally supposed to be $442,000.

“We’re looking to get some of this grant money used,” Police Chief Daniel Rush told council. “We really haven’t spent much of it. We’re trying to spend some grant money.” 

Also being sought is the solicitation of bids to install four external cameras on the police station. The cost of the installation would be covered by PCCD grant funding with a maximum expenditure of $8,000.

Motions to approve the body camera purchases and the solicitation of bids for the external cameras are expected to be voted on when council meets Thursday.

Other motions planned for Thursday’s agenda include the promotion of police Sgt. John Hritz to lieutenant and Cpl. Kent Mitchell to sergeant.

There also are a few fire department motions on Thursday’s agenda including selling two pieces of training/fitness equipment to the city of Pittsburgh for $6,800, approving repairs for the Tylerdale station at a cost not to exceed $6,500 and approving the side door at Fire Station headquarters at a cost not to exceed $4,300.

Council also is expected to approve the hiring of four public works employees at Thursday’s meeting.

Finally, engineer Sam Carroll of Harshman CE Group said the street paving project is about 50 percent done.

Roads being paved are Brownson, Clark, South Wade, Summerlea and West Strawberry avenues, Isabell and South Franklin streets and the senior center parking lot.