Transparency advocates, rejoice!
After two years of tests and discussion, the Los Angeles Police Department has finally rolled out its eagerly anticipated body camera program. The official start came Monday when all uniformed patrol officers of the Mission Division were outfitted with chest-mounted cameras that they will wear each day. Officers from South L.A.'s Newton Division will get their body cameras in two weeks, while SWAT is expected to be fully equipped by month's end.
Over the next thirty days, the number of worn cameras will reach 860. Within months, that number will climb to 7,000.
"This is a big moment for us," said Capt. Todd Chamberlain, who oversees the LAPD's Mission Division. "I think they realize that they're making history today."
Supporters of the growing technology say they aim to protect both police officers and the public in cases of tragedy or dispute. Calls for employing the technology have mounted in the wake of several high-profile police shootings of unarmed black men in the United States.
“All we’re after is one thing and that is clarity and the truth. These on-body cameras aren’t the ultimate, but they sure are a great tool,” said Steve Soboroff, who leads the Police Department’s civilian oversight board.
The ACLU, however, expressed concerns Monday over how difficult it will be to access footage of an incident once it has been captured. The LAPD has said that it will not release recordings unless they are part of a criminal or civil court proceeding. But that policy, the civil liberties group contends, could defeat the very purpose of the devices.
With Monday’s debut, Los Angeles has become the largest American city to employ the technology on a large scale.
Read more about the LAPD’s body camera rollout here.
Image Credit: Flickr User chrisyarzab, https://flic.kr/p/8saqad via (CC BY 2.0)