The Ferguson "robbery" incident report has some problems.

[8 track mind]

30. Three grand to install a camera?

Horseshit. Pure 100% horseshit. That police department is spewing horseshit.

I install this stuff for a living. I can install that system myself in 5 hours, fully weatherproofed, fully functional, and ready to go in 5 hours for about $500. That's an installation that i will stand behind and i will even go so far as to wage a bet with forfeiture of six months worth of pay, that it will last and be as reliable as a claw hammer. This is an insanely anal install with absolute attention to detail. I strive for 100% reliability in our statewide radio system and the installs for all of the vehicles we use. I don't take this lightly.

$3000? No. If you are installing a light bar, console, radios, PA/Siren, Wig-Wags for the headlights (alternating headlight flashers), an electrical accessory timer (shuts the power off to the gear after two hours of the key being turned off), a cage, and a shotgun lock, well then yes. That takes a while to do, and you have to do a bit of planning so it goes smoothly. If you are working on the same type of vehicle over and over, the install time starts to get shorter.

If it takes you 3 grand to install a camera, your installers are high or incredibly stupid.

On edit: I will state that the law enforcement i work with are park rangers. Our screening process for them is very rigid. We want rangers who are people friendly. They are what i wish lawmen everywhere would be like: fair. You really, I mean REALLY have to screw up badly to get a ticket out of them. The enforcement actions they deal with are vandalizing the parks, drunk driving, and enforcement of our burn bans (no charcoal grills during the summer months. Gas grills are welcomed and encouraged).

If WE can do it on a low end, non-federal assisted state budget, they can damn sure do it on a federally assisted budget.