Trust and transparency between the community and law enforcement are the goals the Jonesboro Police Department hope to accomplish as they work to obtain body cameras.
Currently, about one-third of the 18,000 police departments in the United States are using body cameras, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Even Memphis Police are equipping their officers with body cameras as soon as the beginning of January 2016.
Jonesboro Police have been conducting research and looking into outfitting there officers with body cameras. Paul Holmes is the Public Information Specialist for the Jonesboro Police Department.
Holmes cited some of the research from other departments saying body cameras could offer another form of accountability between the community and the officers.
“There is a compendium of studies that were done within the last few years," Holmes said. "One of which was done in Rialto, CA that says, in essence, body cams can tend to improve both the officer’s behavior and the behavior of the citizens—within the common context.
So, I think that is a study in which a number of advocates are hanging their hat. It provides another record for the officer’s protection and for the public’s protection.”
In the rash of recent fatal police attacks in Ferguson, Baltimore, Memphis, and Chicago between citizens and officers, many departments across America have looked into adding body cameras as a way to improve the relationship with the community. However, Holmes says there’s more to body cameras than just putting them on.
“Well one, obviously, the cost. Although there is some grant money available for agencies to do that. Then you have those concerns about privacy of both the public and the officers who are wearing them. At what point do you decide to replace them if you replace them? You have to make sure your officers are fully trained and that your policy is exactly on point for use in a legal constitutional manner that provides the privacy concerns and the transparency objectives that you desire.”
The issues Holmes outlined are just some of the challenges other departments like Jonesboro face with body cameras. Costs can vary based on the camera vendor and the size of the department.
Holmes said the initial purchase could be around a thousand dollars per unit, not including the associated costs of storage and retrieval.
A police department in Prairie Village, a community outside of Kansas City, told the Kansas City Star the costs for cameras for their department ranges between eight and twelve hundred dollars per officer with an additional three to five hundred dollars a year per each officer for storage. When it comes to storage, another complex issue arise—will the public have access to the footage?
Holmes says the department is working on a policy to allow public access to the footage under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
“We will abide by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. This department is very conscious and very cognizant of the Freedom of Information Act and we comply with the FOIA to the best of our ability and this is another set of public records that will be created in our view.”
The project will take time as the department works towards creating policies that will allow public access without infringing on the privacy of those caught on camera, as well as raising the funds needed to maintain the system.
While there are many questions about the use, funding, and training for the body cameras; Holmes is hopeful the cameras will be great for enhancing the trust and accountability between the citizens and officers.
“It has the potential to enhance and improve the already good relationship that we already enjoy with the community. It will be very obvious with the actions of the police officers and the actions of the citizens they encounter. So, it has the potential to add that one more layer of transparency.”
Holmes says the department is looking to gradually roll out body cameras sometime next year.