Police body cameras have been a point of contention between police departments and some city councils, but it’s clear that the cameras are the way of the future. Not only can they provide critical evidence of what transpired during an altercation, but they can also protect officers from unwarranted claims of police brutality. Considering the devices have been successful in other areas, it’s no surprise that more Minnesota cities are moving towards body camera programs of their own.
The cities of Woodbury and Bayport are both making internal pushes to begin their own police body camera programs, and Forest Lake and Cottage Grove are also at the initial stages of adopting the devices. Washington County, which houses all four cities, plans to move forward with body cameras designed for Android phones that will be equipped to the chest of officers in the program. The software actually captures 30 seconds of video before the camera is “activated,” which will ensure evidence won’t be missed because the officer was late turning on their device. Additionally, the Android devices have a GPS tracking capabilities and the ability to view police statutes, department policies and receive emergency text alerts.
“(Sheriff Bill Hutton) is big on technology, and this has been a vision of his for the last couple of years is to try and find a product that we can give to the deputy when they start and say, ‘Here you go. Here’s your all-in-one device,’ ” said Washington County Sherrif’s Office Sgt. Andy Ellickson. “It works just same as any other body camera, but it’s got all these other features.”
Price Tag and Plans
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the cost of the Android-based program is only expected to be about $60,000, which coincidentally is what the county is currently spending on cell-phone allowances for deputies. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the cameras would be activated during all enforcement and investigation contacts, including field interviews, traffic stops, self-initiated activity and any contact that becomes confrontational. Additionally, they plan to store the footage for 180 days, which is 90 days longer than required by the state.
“We train these officers to do the right thing,” Ellickson said. “I just don’t see that it’s going to be a big deal with officers. … Sometimes concerns come up, and this is just going to be one way we can review it and help us be better.”
Here’s a closer look at each department’s plans for their body camera programs:
Woodbury – The city will hold a forum to discuss if $10,000 should be spent on eight body cameras to be used in a pilot program next year. If the program is a success, the city council will hold a vote to puchase more cameras.
Bayport – Police received a special grant to pay for some body-worn and in-car cameras. The goal of the camera purchases is “to strengthen community trust, confidence and increase transparency,” Police Chief Laura Eastman said in a statement. “The cameras will reduce time-intensive investigations that may arise and/or assist with protecting both the community and the police.” The plan is to outfit officers with the cameras early next year.
Hastings – Hastings recently conducted an eight-camera body camera pilot program, and the city council saw its success and unanimously voted to expand the program to all officers. 15 more cameras will be purchased, costing about $12,500 more.
