By Camas Frank ~
It was first proposed by one police chief and has been winding its way through steering committee discussions under two acting chiefs, but finally San Luis Obispo Police Department is set to launch a body camera pilot project.
When talk of the concept started almost 2 years ago, then Police Chief Steve Gesell said he hoped that they’d be able to put 15 cameras on the streets by early 2015.
“I believe our officers will be very supportive as there are many [California] agencies that tout their success,” he said.
It’s taken 6 months of work nailing down the specific technology to use, and drafting a policy that the “community stakeholders” on the committee could agree with. Not to mention the costs. As with many, newly launched City programs, cash was found in the budget but not as much as hoped.
The 10 Watch Guard model cameras they settled on are about $1,000 apiece and a lot of the cost goes to the storage demands that capturing all that high-definition footage imposes, said current Acting Chief Keith Storton.
The City recently upgraded a raft of server and storage systems to keep the department’s cruisers connected to each other, as well as the Department. They also installed secure Wi-Fi hotspots to enable officers to take tablet computers out of the car on traffic stops.
To fully outfit the department’s 60 sworn officers would take 50 cameras cycling through the shifts, alternately charging and downloading their contents into software designed to secure its use as evidence.
If they determine that the pilot program is a success, the department will need to find and finance a lot more storage space, like turning to “the Cloud.” That is, a third party server farm with capacity to sell, but not likely the Apple iCloud.
While Storton previously mentioned the precipitous drop in complaints against officers at the Rialto, Calif., PD, after its adoption of cameras and similar experiences across the state, part of the steering committee’s discussions revolved around not simply letting officers film the populace however they choose.
The explanation released by the Department states: “Officers with cameras will be expected to activate their cameras on all enforcement and investigative stops to include traffic enforcement, most self-initiated activity events, or other contacts that may become or are viewed as adversarial. Officers will also have the discretion to activate their cameras during any activity where they feel doing so would be in the best interest of the Department.”
And “Body-worn cameras will be worn in a conspicuous manner. Officers may notify persons that they are being recorded whenever possible; however, consent by the person(s) being recorded in a public place or other lawful location where an officer has a right to be is not necessary and consistent with California law.”
Also, “Officers will be sensitive to the dignity of all individuals being recorded and exercise sound discretion in order to respect privacy when it appears reasonable that such privacy may outweigh any legitimate law enforcement interest in recording. This could include locations of privacy such as a residence, hospitals, or situations where the recording may cause emotional distress to a victim of a crime.”
There’s a tradeoff for the sensitivity and discretion. To follow those guidelines officers will have the direct ability to turn the cameras on and off. That runs contrary to the idea held by many in the wake of the often-discussed incidents in Ferguson, Mo., that body-worn cameras are supposed to watch officers to prevent abuses.
In practice, SLOPD will however, still be able to investigate complaints as always and pay special attention to those filed around an incident that was not recorded when it should have been.
The first units to receive the 10 cameras available will be in the bicycle patrol — active especially during Thursday Night Farmers Market — the Community Action Team officers who deal with homelessness and other issues, and of course the traffic patrol.
