About a year after Independence police officers started wearing body cameras , the department says that the program has changed the way its staff interacts with residents and collects evidence – and that the cameras are here to stay.

The Independence Police Department received a grant from the United States Department of Justice in September 2023 to pay for 200 body-worn cameras. Until that point, IPD officers were not outfitted with body cameras .

IPD initially told The Star that it hoped to implement the body camera program in January 2024. Last August, the department shared on Facebook that all officers had been issued cameras.

The body cameras used by IPD are made by Axon, an Arizona-based company that developed the TASER stun gun. Deputy Chief Jason Petersen shared an update on

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