Local police interested in body-cameras, concerned by costs

sheriffWith law enforcement under renewed scrutiny in light of a squad-car video showing a Chicago officer fatally shooting a black teenager, focus has once again turned to police-worn body cameras.

The Associated Press reports that Chicago is expanding Its body camera program at a cost of $2.2 million.

Locally, police agencies have expressed interest in the technology, but are in no hurry to implement the system.

Knox County Sheriff Dave Clague tells WGIL the use of body cams is a “very good idea.”

“It takes the guess work out of maybe what occurred,” Clague says. “It also protects the officer as well as the person they are videoing.”

He says the main hurdle would be expense, a sentiment Galesburg Police Chief David Christensen agrees with.

Christensen says there are other elements at play as well.galesburgpolicelogo

“Frankly, the cameras are certainly the least of the expenditures you might incur in the whole camera program,” he says. “This isn’t something you want to go into lightly at all. It’s going to take a considerable amount of thought and study and before you ever purchase your first camera you need to make sure you have good policies in place for use of those cameras.”

Christensen estimates for cameras, storage and man hours are in the 10s of thousands of dollars.

The post Local police interested in body-cameras, concerned by costs appeared first on WGIL 93.7 FM & 1400 AM.

ReCENT POSTS

Loading...