Taking a look at how law enforcement uses body cameras - KELOLAND.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Body cams are used by law enforcement agencies all across the country, including at the Sioux Falls Police Department.
KELOLAND Investigates got a court order from a judge to obtain some body cam video of an arrest made last year in Sioux Falls. We want to warn you some of the video you are about to see is disturbing.
Sioux Falls Police are attempting to locate Creighton Ross, who is no stranger to law enforcement.
Ross has felony convictions in Minnehaha and Hutchinson Counties and was on parole.
“This has turned out to be an excellent tool for us,” Captain Dave McIntire said.
The officers are all wearing bodycams and find Creighton sleeping in a closet when things turn ugly.
“Creighton wake up, we are 10-12 show me your hands,” police said.
All three officers pull their tasers
And one has to use his after Creighton goes after his parole officer, who he cornered in the bathroom.
It’s cases like this where officers say body cams protect them.
Captain Dave McIntire says it’s part of the police department’s policy to turn them on anytime they are dispatched.
“When the officers are on a call, their cameras are activated before they arrive on the call anytime we make a pedestrian stop as well,” McIntire said.
The department first started using body cameras with their motorcycle, bicycle, and foot patrol officers a few years ago.
But today the department has 190 body cameras, enough to equip every officer on the force.
Body cams can also be used against an officer, like in the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The video showed officer Derek Chauvin forcing his knee on the neck of Floyd during an arrest which ultimately resulted in his death.
Chauvin was convicted of second degree murder and sent to prison.
In the case of Ross, you can see he’s agitated and swearing at the officers.
“I think in that moment he was a frightening individual for whoever would have been in that position,” Deputy States Attorney Christian Jensen said.
Deputy States Attorneys Christian Jensen and Lori Ehlers prosecuted the case against Ross, who was charged with five counts, including simple assault and threatening law enforcement.
The body cam video was played in court at Ross’ trial and used as evidence against him.
“We tried to paint the same picture that the officers and the parole agent, in that case, saw when they came into the house,” Ehlers said.
Jurors got to watch and listen to the exact same video.
“I tried to relay to the jury what it would have felt like to be backed into a dark room with a fairly large imposing individual,” Jensen said.
“We wanted the jury to feel that and understand that the officers and the parole agent were walking into this situation not knowing what to expect this is what happens,” Ehlers said.
“Anytime a jury can see what’s happening and the elements of a crime unfold in front them that’s always great evidence,” McIntire said.
“It’s made our job a lot easier if an allegation does come up, it provides excellent evidence in court and it’s been very successful,” McIntire said.
And it was successful for prosecutors too.
Ross was found guilty on four of the five charges. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
The crimes he committed, prosecutors say, would have been much tougher to prove without the body cam.
“Well, you can kind of picture that in your head but when you saw it on camera you can actually see he had nowhere left to go and you can see the fist clenched, the yelling, the actions of the defendant I think it made it more real for everyone, it puts you right there,” Ehlers said.
“We had three different body cams all watching the crime as it unfolded, it really allowed the jurors to make I think the most objective decision,” Jensen said.
This was just one example of where body cam videos helped prosecutors get a conviction.
There have been plenty of others, involving surveillance videos, door rings, and dash cameras, too. In fact, last year alone, the Minnehaha County State’s attorney’s office says it handled over five million video files in criminal cases.
Taking a look at how law enforcement uses body cameras.
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