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Police consider body cameras

FAIRMONT — Fairmont City Council handled only two issues on Monday, both dealing with public safety as the Fairmont Police Department sought input on body cameras for officers and authorization to join a regional drug task force.

In order for the police department to move forward with implementing a body camera program, it is required by state law to gather public input from the community. The council will accept public comment during the open discussion portion of its Oct. 9 meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m., and there are several other ways citizens can offer their opinions.

Residents can contact the mayor and council members whose email addresses and phone numbers are on the city website, www.fairmont.org, or they can contact Fairmont Police Chief Mike Hunter by email at mhunter@fairmont.org or by phone during regular business hours at (507) 238-4481.

Perhaps the fastest way to express one’s views is by completing a 10-question online survey on the police department’s website. Click on the “body camera survey” tab on the left side of the page, www.fairmontpolice.org

On Saturday, the police department displayed a link to the survey on its Facebook page, a link that had to be removed due to excessive volume.

“We had the survey up for one day and hit the total allotted responses for one day, which is 100,” Hunter said. “We were impressed with the number of surveys we received on the first day. We’re happy with the response.”

Hunter said they try to collect the online surveys as soon as the maximum volume is hit, and they encourage residents to keep trying if they are unable to submit their responses the first time. Deadline for public input is Oct. 20.

The survey asks for input on when body cameras should be turned on, who should have access to the footage and the cameras impact on residents and officers.

Fairmont’s police officers also took the survey, and Hunter said their responses coincided quite closely with the initial public survey responses.

He plans to have to the survey results and other public input compiled for a presentation to the council at its Oct. 23 meeting.

“There’s a lot of public support for the use of body cameras,” Hunter said. “Ten percent of (law enforcement) agencies are using them now, but I think it’s something that will become commonplace in the next few years.”

In the other matter, the council authorized the police chief and city administrator to sign a joint powers agreement with the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, effective Jan. 1.

City Administrator Mike Humpal told the council that Fairmont, which had been part of the task force during the 1990s until the mid 2000s, would share resources with several law enforcement agencies in Martin, Nicollet, Blue Earth and Watonwan counties to increase focus on drug enforcement efforts, education and sales and trafficking of drugs in the area.

“We think it’s a good thing,” he said, and Councilman Tom Hawkins echoed his support.

Councilman Wayne Hasek asked why Fairmont left the task force.

Hunter explained there was an issue with forfeiture assets at the time, but that has long since been resolved.

“Things have been restructured, and we are very confident,” he said.

The cost of joining the task force is based on population, and Hunter estimated the amount to be about $1.50 per capita. The police department has earmarked $17,000 in its 2018 budget for this purpose.

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