Wisconsin law enforcement agencies detail their experiences with body-worn cameras - WMTV – NBC15
The Madison Common Council is set to vote on several topics Tuesday night, including launching a body-worn camera pilot program.
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Madison Common Council is set to vote on several topics Tuesday night, including launching a body-worn camera pilot program for the Madison Police Department’s North District.
The discussion around the cameras coming to the MPD has spanned several years, but nearby departments and agencies have already adopted the technology. It is gear and policy sweeping the country in recent years.
According to the most recent study on the topic conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2018, nearly 50% of law enforcement agencies across the country have adopted the technology.
“The reasons we did it were for transparency,” said Middleton Police Captain Travis Kakuske. He says the department added the cameras five years ago. While some officers had reservations at first, Kakuske says everyone has come to appreciate the technology.
Sargent“We are extremely happy we made the switch,” said Kakuske.
Other departments noted the many benefits the cameras provide officers daily.
“It’s helped with internal investigations, complaints, even reviewing investigations for our detective bureau,” said Beloit Police Patrol Officer James Mann.
Mann was part of the committee that created the BPD’s policies for the bodycams. He says the cameras can also assist with training and give the public insight into the day-to-day of being a police officer.
“There were some officers that were apprehensive about the body cameras at first,” said Mann. “But if you ask any officer here with the department, they stand behind the body-worn camera because it’s assisted us and helped us on so many difficult situations.”
One of the early common growing pains mentioned by each department was the challenges of properly storing all the data that the body cameras gathered.
“I think one of the biggest that we’ve noticed is how much memory, or how much data that body cameras on deputies and officers at the jail take up,” said Rock County Sheriff’s Office Sargent Andrew Reed.
Policies for how the cameras are used also differ from department to department. Some departments engage the cameras when the lights on a squad car are turned on, while others turn on the camera when officers come in contact with people at the scene. The MPD says the pilot program cameras would turn on when officers are assigned to a call.
Results of the common council vote are scheduled to be handed down Tuesday night. THe meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.
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source: https://www.nbc15.com/2022/04/20/wisconsin-law-enforcement-agencies-detail-their-experiences-with-body-worn-cameras/
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