When it comes to police body cameras, Los Angeles’ new program takes the cake.
Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a sweeping initiative Tuesday which will put body cameras on 7,000 police officers around the city. The program, aimed at increasing police transparency, is among the most significant of its kind and makes Los Angeles the largest city to employ the devices on such a wide scale.
"The trust between a community and its police department can be eroded in a single moment," Garcetti said Tuesday. "Trust is built on transparency."
The plan was made possible, in part, by private donations totaling around $1.5 million. Garcetti said additional funding will be included in his next budget proposal, with the costs expected to be in the “high single-digit million” dollar range.
Police departments around the country have begun implementing body camera pilot programs in the wake of two high-profile shootings of unarmed black men in New York and Missouri. A recent pilot program in Rialto, California resulted in significant reductions in use-of-force incidences as well as complaints against police.
Los Angles hopes to have the program up and running by next summer.
Read more about the initiative here.