Body cameras were discussed at the Bloomington City Council’ mid-October meeting. But questions remain before they hit the streets, and Illinois State University criminal justice Prof. Jason Ingram is raising a few.
Ingram says the cameras can increase police and public safety, if they're used the right way.
"It's a camera, so it has to be turned on and it only captures what it's pointed at. So if an officer has discretion on when he or she can turn it on, there's potential for non-compliance,” Ingram said.
Jason Ingram
His biggest issue is privacy and determining who can see the video: "Officers do have a reduced expectation of privacy, because they're a public servant, but I don't know how that plays out with citizens on camera.”
Ingram will offer his thoughts on police practices and protections at Police Use of Force: Myths and Policy Considerations, a free, public program by the Central Illinois Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Normal Public Library Community Room.
Police departments all over the country are using body cameras. Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner, who has researched the issue for the city council, says they are inevitable, and will improve safety for police and the community.
"Privacy issues are a big concern, obviously cost is a big concern,” Heffner nonetheless concedes.
His department will begin a grant-funded trial run in January. After that, it's up to the council to determine if the cameras are worth the cost.
"At the end of the day, if it turns out it's going to be somewhere around $100,000 for us to do this every year and to keep this going, than the council has to figure out is that a top priority," said Mayor Tari Renner.
Even though the cameras do face challenges, Heffner says they're excited to move forward in the process. "I think we will get better feedback from the officers once we get some cameras here to actually test,” he said.
The Bloomington police department says they'll test several types of cameras before making a decision, and Renner suggests they might go with several options, to give officers their pick.
For further thoughts on body cams, watch the WMBD-TV video at http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/body-cameras-could-help-policing