KENOSHA, Wis. — Nearly a year after a neighbor in Kenosha captured the police shooting of Jacob Blake in a now-viral video, Kenosha police are now preparing to have cameras of their own.

What You Need To Know

  • The Kenosha City Council approved body cams for Kenosha police officers Monday

  • The move comes nearly a year after the police shooting of Jacob Blake

  • Officers are expected to patrol the streets with body cameras for the first time by late October

The Kenosha Police Department is expected to patrol the streets with body cameras for the first time this fall. The KPD tweeted Tuesday saying, “This is an exciting time for KPD! Officers are expected to be on patrol with the new cameras, which include new squad mounted cameras by late October.” 

The Kenosha City Council voted unanimously Monday in favor of the KPD body camera project. 

“It’s beneficial to everyone in the community and it’s beneficial to our fabulous police department,” said Rocco Lamacchia, Chairman of Public Safety and Welfare in Kenosha. 

Lamacchia said getting body cams has been in the works for more than 5 years now. He said the body cams were put on next year’s budget, but with the protests and unrest surrounding the shooting of Blake last year, the decision was moved into this year’s budget. 

Spectrum News 1 spoke with several people in Kenosha who declined going on camera. Some said they don’t think having body cameras will stop future incidents like that of Blake. Others said this is a need for the city to help keep officers accountable at all times. 

Lamacchia said he hopes the body cameras are one step forward in creating trust with the community. 

"It’s to protect them and it’s to protect you,” said Lamacchia.