Pittsburgh City Council approves $10M purchase of police body cams

Pittsburgh police will be getting new body cameras and Tasers under a $10 million purchase request approved Monday by City Council.

Under the proposal, the city will buy 950 cameras and 950 Tasers from Arizona-based Axon Enterprise Inc.

The equipment includes a “signal sidearm” sensor that will not only immediately activate an officer’s camera once a gun or Taser is removed from a holster but also activate cameras worn by any other officer standing within 35 feet.

Police Chief Scott Schubert said the devices would be distributed to all officers once they complete training.

Council also approved a $47,000 settlement with an Ohio man who sued the city claiming battery, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, false arrest and a police policy of tolerating the use of excessive force following a 2017 incident outside of PPG Paints Arena.

Daniel Adelman and his wife were attending a Roger Waters concert at the arena when Adelman went outside for a cigarette and intervened in a fight between two men, one of whom turned out to be a plain-clothes police officer, according to the lawsuit.

Police said they were arresting a man wanted in Butler County on forgery charges when Adelman interfered.

Council approved both resolutions by an 8-0 vote. Councilwoman Erika Strassburger was absent.