JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Local Government Insurance Trust Executive Director Tim Ailsworth, right, presents a check for police body cameras to Berlin Police Chief Arnold Downing and Mayor Gee Williams during a public meeting last Tuesday.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Nov. 22, 2018) Local Government Insurance Trust Executive Director Tim Ailsworth last Tuesday presented a check for $5,000 to the Town of Berlin for police body cameras and praised town officials for implementing their use.

He said the trust insures 147 of the 157 municipalities in Maryland, and that the its board voted three years ago to return funds to towns that bought the cameras.

“And you can come back for this every year, because we encourage … body cameras within our police departments,” Ailsworth said.

Along with presenting a check to Mayor Gee Williams and Police Chief Arnold Downing, Ailsworth said he wanted to recognize the town, adding the retail value of the Berlin’s insurance was $105,000.

“But, because of your discounts and credits, because of your long-time good experience with LGIT, that premium is reduced almost $20,000,” Ailsworth said. “I do want to compliment you on being a great member of the trust.”

The town sent 61 employees to trust-funded training sessions during the last five years, Ailsworth reported. The training grant for cameras was the second such endowment Berlin had received from the company.

“I want to compliment your chief and compliment the councilmembers for having the foresight to allow your officers to use body cameras,” he said. “That’s the wave of the future … the bottom line is, if the police officers don’t have cameras, the bystanders will have cameras on their phones.

“This way, everyone in the command staff … can find out early on whether an officer or a group of officers have behaved properly and followed procedures the proper way,” he added.