Madison’s Finance Committee voted unanimously Monday, Sept. 28, to advance funding for about 220 body-worn cameras for the city’s police department, with officials aiming to equip nearly all patrol officers by early summer 2027. The budget amendment, sponsored by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and several alders, would cover the cameras’ upfront capital costs in 2027 rather than spread the purchase across 2028 and 2029. The city expects to pay for the equipment through a combination of general fund borrowing and a federal grant that has not yet been approved. Rhodes-Conway said grant rules do not allow federal money to replace funds already committed by the city. If the grant is denied, the Police Department would return to seek a budget amendment, according to the plan presented to the committee. A contribution from the Madison Community Foundation is expected to help pay for ongoing operations, allowing the department to move away from an initially proposed, multiyear rollout. Police Chief John Patterson told committee members that the department hopes to have officers equipped by the beginning of summer 2027. The purchase is not the only step ahead. A city work group on body-camera policy met last Friday and is beginning to review recommendations. Patterson said the group intends to complete its policy by the end of 2026, drawing on the department’s North District pilot, feedback from residents and staff, and national guidance from the Police Executive Research Forum. Alder Mike Verveer, who represents District 4, said the city had debated body cameras for more than a dozen years. He called Monday’s vote a major milestone and said the July 22 tragedy may have helped bring the issue to a decision. The amendment now goes to the full Common Council for final consideration. If approved, the plan would bring the cameras to patrol officers earlier than the previous phased schedule, while the final policies governing their use are still being developed.