US News Obama announces funding for 50,000 police body cameras

[tom_mai78101]

In an announcement today, the White House has pledged $263 million in new federal funding for police training and body cameras, set aside by executive order. The money includes $75 million allocated specifically for the purchase of 50,000 cameras for law enforcement officers across the country. The training portion of the funds would go toward instructing police in the responsible use of paramilitary equipment like assault rifles and armored personnel carriers, much of which has flooded local departments as a result of a Homeland Security preparedness program. Additional funds will go to fund police outreach programs designed to build trust between local departments and the communities they serve.

The cameras are designed to provide a definitive record of police activities, and have become a frequent demand in the wake of the Ferguson protests. The protests began with the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager killed by the police in Ferguson. Community leaders pointed to video taken in the aftermath of Brown's death as evidence of police misconduct, and the subsequent outcry has triggered a Justice Department investigation. More recently, a widely shared video of Cleveland police shooting a 12-year-old named Tamir Rice has intensified the demand for video documentation of police activities. Last week, the parents of Michael Brown announced a campaign "to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera."

The new funding push is substantial, but 50,000 cameras will cover only a fraction of the more than 750,000 police officers currently employed in America. Camera proposals have also run into trouble with public records laws in states like Washington, which require the release of all police records not actively tied up in an investigation. With hundreds of hours of video generated by police cameras every day, that would present serious problems for both privacy and simple logistics.

Read more here. (The Verge)

 

[KMilz]

Seems like a good call...

 

[seph ir oth]

The question becomes: who gets to view the footage? Whenever there's a case? Who gets to edit the footage as well, and review it initially?

It's a start, I suppose.

 

[FireCat]

Good Idea !!

 

[Varine]

1,500 dollars per camera?

 

[tom_mai78101]

1,500 dollars per camera?

I was expecting it to be lower than $1,500. It could be other fees that have to do with camera licenses or paperwork.

 

[FireCat]

1,500 dollars

Ah it doesn't matter.
It will protect both the "innocent people from dirty cops and the police who deal with false accusations.
That's more important.

 

[Accname]

The cops will just turn the camera off, beat the crap out of people, and claim the camera was damaged in the brawl.

 

[tom_mai78101]

The cops will just turn the camera off, beat the crap out of people, and claim the camera was damaged in the brawl.

We need to add a law banning police officers turning off body cams during duty hours, else a minimum of 5 years in prison.

 

[FireCat]

The cops will just turn the camera off, beat the crap out of people, and claim the camera was damaged in the brawl.

But It would be suspicious if the person, had a broken camera every time.

 

[Accname]

I said pretend the camera got damaged in the fight.
They can easily just bash it in themselfs. Who could tell the difference.

 

[FireCat]

Every time ?

 

[tom_mai78101]

Hence the minimum of 5 years, even if the police outright say the body cam was destroyed 16 times in a row by others for all 16 encounters.

 

[Accname]

Its enough if they do it once or twice. Why do you assume they would do it every time?

 

[FireCat]

Cause they could be involved in a fight "moar than twice"

 

[Varine]

At 1,5oo dollars per camera those things better be fucking indestructible.

 

[tom_mai78101]

At 1,5oo dollars per camera those things better be fucking indestructible.

Cameras should not be that expensive. It's either multiple cameras per officer + licensing fees + insurances that totals to $1,500 per officer.

 

[Varine]

I can pretty much guarantee that isn't it.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Ok.