POLICE BODY CAMERAS / Former Giants RB shot, captured on uniform lapel camera

[HairOfTheDog]

there are a lot of people who apparently don't support required body cams for police officers.

I don't understand why anyone wouldn't look at this as something positive for both sides.

Libtards never look at something thats used to get a conviction as anything good

It's not only liberals, it's some police organizations themselves that are resistant to implementing the cams, despite their proven effectiveness in reducing brutality complaints and helping officers justify their actions in court.

I usually think individuals, cities, states, organizations...should be regulated as little as possible. But, I'm in full favor of police body-cams being a requirement across the country, for the benefit of both police officers and the community members they serve.

Released today:
Obama's plan, if it can earn congressional approval, would help pay for up to 50,000 body cameras nationwide—almost doubling the number currently deployed—by doling out $75 million in matching funds to local and state police departments over three years, to cover purchasing costs up to 50 percent.

But it's not just about money. A number of local police departments remain hesitant—if not downright skeptical—about body cameras, despite growing public demand and research that suggests positive benefits.

"At this juncture, it doesn't change anything," said Mike Puetz, a spokesman for the St. Petersburg Police Department in Florida, when asked about Obama's funding pledge. "From our perspective, and I think for most agencies, we're looking at the technology and looking at how it works in the real world regardless of who pays the bill."
"Each agency wants to take a look at them and take a look at how they work in their particular community and go from there," Puetz said. "You can't just give a camera to someone and say, 'Here, go wear it.' "

St. Petersburg's trepidation is not unusual. Although body cameras have become increasingly popular among law enforcement agencies in recent years, the decision to adopt them is generally made solely by local police chiefs. While some have embraced the technology as a new frontier that can bolster transparency and trust in their communities, others remain less convinced.

"Like any new technology, we really caution that before police agencies just jump in and start using them, to sit down and think about all the issues that they raise," said Lindsay Miller, a senior research associate at the Police Executive Research Forum, which has developed guidelines for body cameras but has not endorsed their implementation. "There are a lot of things that need to be considered, and that's why we advise agencies to do pilot testing."

Privacy groups are also wary that widespread use of body cameras could open up a Pandora's box of unintended consequences, such as the use of facial recognition, though the groups are generally supportive of the technology—as long as agencies tread carefully.

The potential infusion of cash from the federal government won't make police body cameras universal overnight, but advocates say it will help move the needle and raise recognition of the technology's benefits for good policing practices.

Full story: http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/poli...s-20141202