On December 22, the Mayor of El Monte Jessica Ancona, announced that the city purchased 150 body cameras for the El Monte Police Department. They are LensLock Gen 12 cameras that take high-quality photos, as well as videos. The cost will be $155,000 per year for five years. 

The city has joined a five-year contract with LensLock, a San Diego based company that will supply these cameras to the police department. This includes warranties, training, and technical support that will be provided by the company and the agreement with the department. 

The Chief of Police, David Reynoso, began his research on these cameras last year before deciding to purchase them for the EMPD. During an interview with City News Service, Reynoso stated, “These improvements in technology will allow our officers to work more efficiently and effectively when it comes to securing digital evidence, which is an increasingly significant component of modern policing.” With this investment, the El Monte Police will ensure safety within the community as well as equality amongst the people the police department serves. This will keep officers in check when it comes to the abuse of power. The addition of cameras will now provide evidence which means both sides of the story will be determined by what is captured with these cameras.