CLAY TOWNSHIP — The trustees approved a resolution authorizing the purchase of five Getac cameras for the township’s police cruisers.

The cost of the five cameras is $47,210.

The trustees plan to use the remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the purchase of the cameras from the Brite Company, of Victor, N.Y.

The five cameras will be mounted on the dashboards of the township’s police cruisers.

Clay Township Police Sergeant Anthony Scott said it was necessary to purchase new dashboard cameras because the current system the department is using will no longer be serviced and replacement parts for the system will not be available after Dec. 31.

“We currently have the WatchGuard system,” Scott said.

“WatchGuard was bought out by Motorola Solutions within the last few years and they have decided not to support the WatchGuard’s dashboard camera systems anymore,” Scott noted.

“If we don’t replace the WatchGuard system and if anything happens to them, there will be no support or parts available after Dec. 31,” Scott said.

Upon learning the current dashboard cameras would no longer be serviced, Scott said he obtained quotes from Motorola, Getac and other camera providers.

“Brite, who is a broker for Getac, came back with the lowest bid,” Scott said.

“Getac also is the only system that would sync our current body cameras and dash cams into one seamless system to the icloud,” Scott added.

After approving the resolution for the purchase of the cameras, the trustees subsequently approved a resolution that allows the police department to transfer the current WatchGuard equipment to the Montgomery County Radio Communications Center.

“The WatchGuard systems all have to be dismantled, but Getac can’t touch another company’s product,” Scott explained.

Scott said because of that fact, it would cost the township $1,900 a cruiser to have the WatchGuard equipment removed.

But instead of paying to have the equipment removed, the township made a deal with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Scott noted the Sheriff’s Office has several cruisers that have the WatchGuard system installed.

Scott said the Sheriff’s Office plans to continue using the system.

“They have made us an offer that if we give them the equipment, they will do the labor in removing it for free,” Scott said.

Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].