Chief Mitchell says department needs both upgrades now — vote expected June 10

PORT ALLEN — The Port Allen Police Department is asking the city council to approve more than $33,000 in public safety equipment, including four surveillance cameras and three in-car radios for patrol vehicles that have gone without them since 2023.

Chief Donovan Mitchell brought both requests to the Finance Committee on Wednesday, June 3, making the case that the upgrades are overdue and, in the case of the cameras, already proving their value.

"The radios I need right now, and I need the cameras right now," Mitchell told the committee.

Both items are expected to go before the full council for a vote on June 10.

Cameras Already Working

The city has been running three demonstration cameras from Verkada, a security technology company, since earlier this year. Mitchell said the system paid off almost immediately.

During a recent incident near one of the camera locations, Mitchell said he was able to pull up a live feed, get a description of a suspect, and pass that information directly to a shift supervisor — who made contact and resolved the situation before it escalated.

"That's one of many examples I can give you on why we need more cameras," he said.

The proposal calls for purchasing a fourth camera along with supporting hardware and a three-year software agreement, at a total cost of $25,731.40. The three demonstration cameras would remain in place, giving the city four fixed units with the ability to reposition them as needed.

Mitchell said he compared prices from Motorola, Flock, and Verkada before settling on Verkada as the most cost-effective option. He also noted that Brusly currently operates 38 Verkada cameras and referred him to the company.

Councilwoman Charlene Gordon pressed Mitchell to bring documentation showing competitive pricing to the full council meeting. Mayor Terecita Pattan echoed that, saying she has asked department heads to also check with other municipalities about implementation challenges before committing to any vendor.

"The vendor's job is to sell us," Pattan said. "It's our job to ask the right questions."

Three Patrol Cars Still Without Radios

Mitchell told the committee that three Port Allen patrol vehicles have been operating without in-car radios since 2023 — meaning if an officer's portable radio fails in the field, they have no backup communication.

"That's a problem," he said.

The department received quotes from Service Communications, based in Lafayette, and from Motorola. Service Communications came in as the lower bid at $7,457.04 for three mobile radios and supporting hardware.

Mitchell said the radio purchase was in his original budget but that he held off on moving forward after the department received a budget increase, choosing to wait until the fiscal year's end to make sure he didn't exceed his allocation.

"I was just trying to make sure I didn't go over my budget," he said.

Budget Questions Raised

Committee members questioned whether both purchases were covered under the current budget. Mitchell said yes, but Finance Director Adrian Daigle told the committee the full picture would be clearer next week, when the council takes up both a fiscal year 2026 budget amendment and the fiscal year 2027 budget adoption.

Daigle acknowledged that wires had been crossed with the city's CPA in finalizing the current budget numbers and said corrections would be presented at the June 10 meeting.

The Finance Committee also reviewed three additional police department requests — four digital speed limit signs at $12,000 and a five-year software agreement for a new records management system — but Mitchell indicated those are lower priority for the current fiscal year and may be addressed in the 2027 budget.

The full council meets Wednesday, June 10, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at 375 Court Street, third floor, Port Allen.