Council to vote on new APD dash cams

KXAN (AUSTIN) - On May 11, 2009, two of the three dash cameras were not turned on during the controversial shooting death of 18-year-old Nathaniel Sanders by former Austin Police Officer Leonardo Quintana.

“The fact that we had two out of the three cameras not turned on created the controversy,” says Austin’s Police Chief Art Acevedo .

It’s a controversy that is now unfolding inside Austin’s City Hall. Next week Austin City Council Members will decide whether or not to pay the Sanders family a $750,000 settlement.

“We appreciate the fact that this is tax payer money and we have to be very, very prudent about that,” says Austin City Council Member Sheryl Cole .

While council debates paying the family, Austin’s Police Chief is ready to ask the council to buy new dash cameras.

“I think it’s well overdue,” Acevedo says.

Sources inside City Hall tell KXAN that the new digital cameras will be on council’s August 5th agenda.

Acevedo says the new cameras will virtually eliminate human error.

“Anytime the officer opens that door it triggers the camera. They will have to make a conscientious decision to turn it off,” Acevedo says.

Acevedo says the new system will have six other trigger points that will automatically start recording. Also different, there will be two cameras compared to the one currently used. One camera will face out of the car windshield and the other will record the back seat when an officer is transporting a prisoner.

“I think that an investment in the system is an investment in police accountability. It’s an investment in protecting the tax payers, the police officers from false allegations and it’s an investment in community policing in terms of building that trust,” Acevedo says.

Acevedo says if approved the new system will start to show up in patrol cars later this year.