City police seek more body cams
From 20 to 100; also plan partnership with TenPoint
JAMIE DUFFY | The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne police and fire departments Tuesday issued a joint release outlining initiatives for the new year, including FWPD s goal of adding 100 body cameras to an existing 20.
In order to maintain the department at 480 sworn officers, FWPD will hold a 21st Lateral Class this year, hiring officers certified through other law enforcement agencies, the Tuesday release said. Currently, the department has 468 sworn officers, according to Sofia Rosales-Scatena, FWPD public information spokesperson.
Two new social workers are budgeted for FWPD s Hope and Recovery Team known as HART that visits people who overdosed on drugs. And there are plans to expand FWPD s partnership with Fort Wayne United s TenPoint Coalition, an initiative targeting certain high crime areas with citizen patrols.
Mayor Tom Henry, Police Chief Steve Reed and Fire Chief Eric Lahey today provided a public safety recap of 2020 and highlighted plans for 2021 that are designed to continue making the City of Fort Wayne as safe as possible while a pandemic still challenges our city.