How to Estimate a Body-Worn Camera Program Cost

When exploring a body-worn camera program, there’s a checklist of factors that help decide which system is right for your department. And to be blunt, one critical factor in selecting a body-worn camera is the cost. This guide outlines how to approach the selection process while being budget-conscious so you can maximize every dollar without missing out on needed features.

How to estimate a body-worn camera program cost

Budgets. Either your friend or worst enemy during a technology project. When starting the project, it’s important to clearly identify the objective of the project, including the “must-haves” for your department to meet that objective. This way you have a set list to compare products against and keep track of what best matches your criteria. We recommend outlining the following four areas:

1. The device itself. This helps identify the key specs such as rugged ratings, battery life, network connection (Do you want LTE connection?), etc. Just like when buying a new TV, each manufacture and model will have a slightly different approach. Understanding the features most important to your department will help eliminate products or narrows down the areas you’re okay allocating budget towards.
2. The software and backend management. The software and backend management are where the value of body-worn cameras shines. Tasks such as the ease of sharing recordings or ongoing management of the recordings are important to consider from the beginning. Does the software play with the existing IT set-up and environment? What can the IT department support?
3. The accessories. This is simply the number of devices and related accessories. When deciding on the quantity, department size, charging time, shift length and turnover all impact the number of cameras and accessories purchased. For example, the number of charging docks, cables and second battery packs is dependent on the cameras and the size of the force.
4. The logistics of deployment. Deploying and implementing body cameras to a department of 10 looks different than a department of 100. Regardless of the size, a project manager is essential to keeping the project organized and on track.

These four areas are to help lay the foundation of what you’re looking for and guide the direction of how to estimate a body-worn camera program cost.

The reality is when evaluating body-worn camera costs, it comes down to which device meets the majority of your criteria. So, before you evaluate products, there needs to be an understanding of what is most important. And you don’t have to go through this project alone, Brite’s team of reps and engineers are here to help at every stage of the process. Explore Brite’s newest financing option here.