AUSTIN, Minn. – In the aftermath of the police shooting of Kokou Fiafono, Police Chief David McKichan promised to renew his call for funding for officer body cameras. The cams didn’t make the 2022 city budget, McKichan said. He hoped the City Council would find the money in 2023. “This is something that as mayor, council, city administrator and as a departmentm we certainly are looking forward to,” McKichan said. He noted that body-cams are costly, but, he added, “It’ll be what’s right for the community.” Officers already wear body microphones that are always on, he said. Dash-cams in squad car cameras record every case, he said. “So whatever type of call we’re on. we do require officers activate and wear that system. That, at a minimum, will record the audio of any encounter they’re on,” McKichan said.
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