Orlando Police Department receiving more body cameras

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded $19.3 million in grants to dozens of departments around the country, including Orlando. The department said that the 73 awards exceeded the 50 originally envisioned and that it added $2.5 million to enhance the grant funding available. “We know body cameras reduce the number of complaints against officers and reduce the use of force by police”.

About 21,000 cameras will be purchases nationwide, officials said.

Michelle White, an activist and member of the ACLU, urged the department and the council to draft a policy that restricts when officers can review the body camera footage and when they can turn the equipment off or not. “An additional $2 million will go toward training and technical assistance for agencies looking to develop or expand their programs”.

As the heated national debate over policing continues, more agencies are exploring the use of body cameras as a way to help build public trust in policing.

“The impact of body-worn cameras touches on a range of outcomes that build upon efforts to mend the fabric of trust, respect and common goal that all communities need to thrive”. It will be used for the buying of 50,000 cameras.

The selected agencies are required to come up with training and implementation plans, as well as long-term funding to cover the cost of storing camera data. Paul Parizek, spokesman for the Des Moines Police Department, which had asked for $252,000 to help outfit over 200 officers.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has also launched an online toolkit for law enforcement agencies to browse information, best practices and other tools that address issues surrounding body-worn cameras. “Regrettably, the Justice Department appears more interested in creating the appearance that they are addressing the concern about policing than in ensuring departments adopt body camera programs that might making a meaningful difference to their communities”. “Vice versa, if we have somebody who is doing something criminal against one of our police officers or to another innocent person in this city, I want to make sure that an early release of video doesn’t taint their conviction”.