Should Local Police Have Body Cameras?

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) – The debate continues about what really happened in Ferguson, Missouri.
Eyewitnesses usually get swayed by emotion.
And in stressful situations we may not remember exactly what happened.
That’s why there’s a movement to put a body camera on every police officer.
We wanted to know what local law enforcement thinks about that.

It may be weeks before all the details come out about the shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown by a police officer last week.
Who saw what? Who did what?
In real life, small things can make a big difference.
And now some are asking that all officers be equipped with body cameras on their uniforms.
That’s already been done by some 1200 departments across the country.
Can, and should it be done in Chattanooga?

DAVID RODDY, DEPUTY CHIEF, CHATTANOOGA POLICE DEPT. "We started to put cameras in cars years ago, the next step is to possibly look at putting cameras on ourselves to better record and document our actions with the public."

Such a camera may have answered all the questions about this incident at the Salvation Army headquarters in 2012.
Two officers were suspended for beating a man.
But they later won their jobs back, over the objection of the police chief.
Body cameras could have taken away the guesswork.

DAVID RODDY "Whether it be from our own viewpoint in investigations, of through our community’s viewpoint of understanding that we are transparent. We do want all our actions to be noted..looked at..and available for review."

But the cameras are not cheap—about 200-dollars each.

DAVID RODDY "There’s always a fiscal responsibility and being good stewards with our budget every year …is a consideration."

Rialto, California has been using them and the use of force by officers fell 60-percent.
They report citizen complaints against police are down 88%.
It seems inevitable that most departments will go to body cameras as soon as they can.
It may be weeks before all the details come out about the shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown by a police officer last week.
Who saw what? Who did what? In real life, small things can make a big difference.
And now some are asking that all officers be equipped with body cameras on their uniforms.
That’s already been done by some 1200 departments across the country.
Can, and should it be done in Chattanooga?

DAVID RODDY, DEPUTY CHIEF, CHATTANOOGA POLICE DEPT. "We started to put cameras in cars years ago, the next step is to possibly look at putting cameras on ourselves to better record and document our actions with the public."

Such a camera may have answered all the questions about this incident at the Salvation Army headquarters in 2012.
Two officers were suspended for beating a man.
But they later won their jobs back, over the objection of the police chief.
Body cameras could have taken away the guesswork.

DAVID RODDY "Whether it be from our own viewpoint in investigations, of through our community’s viewpoint of understanding that we are transparent. We do want all our actions to be noted..looked at..and available for review."

But the cameras are not cheap—about 200-dollars each.

DAVID RODDY "There’s always a fiscal responsibility and being good stewards with our budget every year …is a consideration."

Rialto, California has been using them and the use of force by officers fell 60-percent.
They report citizen complaints against police are down 88%.
It seems inevitable that most departments will go to body cameras as soon as they can.

Hamilton county sheriff’s officials say buying cameras for all deputies is hard to do.
He says they’re expensive and the county is just now getting upgrades on in-car cameras.
So, we want to know if you would financially support this idea?
You can join the conversation on facebook or twitter using hashtag soundoff.
We’ll share some of your comments tonight at 11.