Increasing number of department investing in body camera technology
The release of police videos, or lack thereof, has been big news across the U.S. in the past year. Big cities from Chicago to San Francisco have dealt with police video scandals and the public is increasingly demanding that footage of police incidents be made public.
Now, with so much scrutiny on video and police practices, many police departments across the country are making big investments in video technology, namely in the form of body cameras, as 2016 progresses.
Here’s a look at some recent happenings with police departments and body cameras across the nation.
San Francisco, CA
In San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee [link url=”http://www.sfexaminer.com/supes-release-2-4m-for-police-department-body-cams/” title=”released $2.4 million“] to begin outfitting city police with body cameras as soon as this month.
#SFPD body camera bidding process questioned by losing companies https://t.co/FLfCzvlvGs via @sfcrimeink pic.twitter.com/GhpPpoks9s
— SF Examiner (@sfexaminer) February 19, 2016
Miami, FL
In Miami, Miami-Dade County commissioners [link url=”http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article64842592.html” title=”authorized up to 1,500 video devices“] for use by county police. The authorization included up to $1 million a year for body cameras, which is one of the largest allotments in the country to date.
Miami-Dade police ready to spend $1 million a year on 1,500 body cameras.https://t.co/GiUdvdRZvL pic.twitter.com/Uqs4Mvy6rF
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) March 9, 2016
Baltimore, MD
In Baltimore, city and police officials announced that [link url=”http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-body-cameras-20160310-story.html” title=”500 city police officers will begin wearing body cameras“] starting on May 1. Officers will wear the cameras at all times. All told, the program will cost Baltimore approximately $11.6 million over five years.
500 police officers across Baltimore will be outfitted with body cameras starting May 1. https://t.co/E3pwLVasXS
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) March 10, 2016
Other cities
Body camera programs are being either put in place or tested in various smaller cities and towns across the U.S., as well, including [link url=”http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/raleigh-report-blog/article66173462.html” title=”Raleigh, NC“], [link url=”http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/03/saginaw_to_equip_all_city_poli.html” title=”Saginaw, MI“], and [link url=”http://wpri.com/2016/03/24/providence-police-set-to-test-body-cameras/” title=”Providence, RI.“]
On Thursday, Florida Governor Rick Scott [link url=”http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-governor-bills-signed-20160324-story.html” title=”signed multiple bills“] relating to various aspects of law enforcement use of body cameras, including use, maintenance and storage of both cameras and the recorded data.
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