Clovis increases camera surveillance with new mobile tool. How much does it cost?
The Clovis Police Department has found a budget-friendly approach to deter crime by equipping a retired K9 police vehicle with surveillance cameras, solar panels, and cooling fans.
The COW vehicle, which stands for “Camera On Wheel,” is the latest patrol tool for Clovis police. The department will begin deploying it at high-traffic events or areas with inadequate security to document the surroundings.
“We’re using this type of ‘COW’ car because of the immediate availability is that it can respond to whether it’s a planned event like the ClovisFest or the ‘Wall that Heals’ behind me,” said Ty Wood, spokesperson for Clovis police. “We knew this was coming, and we wanted to provide a little bit more security and surveillance for the group, especially since they didn’t have people here overnight, just a couple of extra eyes on having a marked patrol vehicle really helps.”
Wood said the idea was inspired by several police departments and it’s both cost-effective and convenient. The car was a patrol vehicle from a retired fleet that had high mileage, he said. With the solar charging panels and remotely controlled cameras mounted on top, all the officer needs to do is, “Start up the car, start driving it, and park it,” Wood said.
The total estimated cost of outfitting the vehicle into COW was $29,500, according to the department. Comparably, Clovis Police also has two camera trailers, each costing the department roughly $50,000.
“The weekly costs for the COW are minimal, however I do not have an estimated dollar amount,” Wood said. “Weekly costs incurred include staff time to drop off and pick up at a location, approximately 45 minutes weekly, fuel for the vehicle, and electricity for charging the system.”
Although there are no officers stationed in the car and the department has not deployed personnel to monitor the COW vehicle in real time, the camera automatically generates reports and stores the footage in the department’s Cloud service, Wood said. Any officer, no matter in the department or using one of the mobile applications, can remotely operate the camera — such as zooming in and out — and turn it 360 degrees.
“Once we bring it back to the police department after a period of about a week, all it takes is one overnight charge and we’re back ready for another six or seven days at a time,” Wood said.
The police have placed 450 to 500 surveillance cameras in public areas such as parks, intersections and high-traffic zones, according to the department officials. However, many areas remain uncovered or obstructed by trees and other objects, and unfortunately, some of the cameras are permanently mounted. The flexibility of the COW can overcome the limitations of traditional cameras.
The department is monitoring the effectiveness of COW and will decide accordingly whether to increase the use of the tool. Residents and business owners that are interested in having COW deployed in the area could contact the department via email at ClovisPolice@clovisca.gov.
“We want people to feel safe while they’re having fun,” Wood said. “We think it really does a good job on a mounted and labeled police car, so you don’t only see the cameras, you see the police presence as well.”
