Ferguson Police to Begin Wearing Cameras

[Rocko]

Good. It will help protect all those involved in confrontations involving law enforcement. AL Sharpton is not happy about this.

 

[Seawytch]

What Happens When Police Officers Wear Body Cameras
Sometimes, like the moments leading up to when a police officer decides to shoot someone, transparency is an unalloyed good. And especially lately, technology has progressed to a point that it makes this kind of transparency not just possible, but routine.

So it is in Rialto, Calif., where an entire police force is wearing so-called body-mounted cameras, no bigger than pagers, that record everything that transpires between officers and citizens. In the first year after the cameras' introduction, the use of force by officers declined 60%, and citizen complaints against police fell 88%.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Money well spent.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

What Happens When Police Officers Wear Body Cameras
Sometimes, like the moments leading up to when a police officer decides to shoot someone, transparency is an unalloyed good. And especially lately, technology has progressed to a point that it makes this kind of transparency not just possible, but routine.

So it is in Rialto, Calif., where an entire police force is wearing so-called body-mounted cameras, no bigger than pagers, that record everything that transpires between officers and citizens. In the first year after the cameras' introduction, the use of force by officers declined 60%, and citizen complaints against police fell 88%.

You do realize that the number of citizen complaints falling doesn't mean the number of number of police abuses fell don't you? In fact, it's more likely that citizens realized "oh shit, now they can prove they didn't abuse their authority" and stopped filing false complaints.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

My office has a camera system that stores 24-hour video surveillance on its system for up to 60 days. So it can't be too hard.

1 camera then? Ferguson PD hs like 47 sworn officers is it? Bigger departments hundreds or thousands. That's alot of hd with redundant backups as you'd expect. All that storage and insurance costs money. Cams themselves are about a $1000 a piece, time however many officers, plus monthly data storage costs. It adds up.

Data storage? SERIOUSLY?! A 32 gig memory stick is $14 retail, so it's probably $8-9 wholesale, less if bought by the pallet.

And not all officers would need cameras...the dude working in the record room and the guy logging evidence probably don't.

That would be a completely inefficient way of storing the data. Can you imagine the logistical nightmare of keeping up those data cards and transferring all that data.

 

[bodecea]

Heard a stat about NTC's PD saying the city settles for over $300 million/year in police complaint cases. Why so much? No cameras documenting things by and large. So I'm all for cams. Of course, I can imagine the conarguement, "if they all wear cameras, how will we falsely accuse them of brutality now?"

You are right about it cutting down on false complaints...but it's kind of odd that having dash cams, in many cases, have helped PROVE police brutality and douchery.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

Heard a stat about NTC's PD saying the city settles for over $300 million/year in police complaint cases. Why so much? No cameras documenting things by and large. So I'm all for cams. Of course, I can imagine the conarguement, "if they all wear cameras, how will we falsely accuse them of brutality now?"

You are right about it cutting down on false complaints...but it's kind of odd that having dash cams, in many cases, have helped PROVE police brutality and douchery.

It's not odd at all. Police are humans, humans are assholes, therefor as long as you have human cops you are going to have some asshole cops. I hope they all get what is due them.

 

[Seawytch]

You are right about it cutting down on false complaints...but it's kind of odd that having dash cams, in many cases, have helped PROVE police brutality and douchery.

It does both. It protects the police AND the populace. Win win.

 

[Wildman]

Ferguson Police to Begin Wearing Cameras

seems a little late for that ! after every incident like this and all others, authorities/officials always close the barn door after all the animals have fled.

 

[Wildman]

My office has a camera system that stores 24-hour video surveillance on its system for up to 60 days. So it can't be too hard.

1 camera then? Ferguson PD hs like 47 sworn officers is it? Bigger departments hundreds or thousands. That's alot of hd with redundant backups as you'd expect. All that storage and insurance costs money. Cams themselves are about a $1000 a piece, time however many officers, plus monthly data storage costs. It adds up.

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not a problem.., just raise their taxes

 

[Seawytch]

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not a problem.., just raise their taxes

The cost is offset by fewer lawsuits.

 

[B. Kidd]

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not a problem.., just raise their taxes

The cost is offset by fewer lawsuits.

Good. Then police departments can absorb the costs out of their budget and not use it as an excuse to raise local taxes.