CA city's police to wear head-mounted cameras

[Buttercup]

SAN JOSE, California —
Police in California are testing head-mounted cameras to record interactions with the public. The test using 18 patrol officers comes as citizens' groups criticize the department for too often using force during arrests.
Officers are to turn on the cameras every time they talk with anyone. They download the recordings after every shift.

California City's Police to Wear Head-Mounted Cameras - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

[Captain America]

Robocops at your service.

[jmur5074]

Incredibly, absolutely stupid. Ridiculous.


I wish administrators would remember what it's like to work behind a steering wheel, and not a big wooden desk.

[Jenna]

Robocops at your service.

[Standard Dave]

They can be like hand held cameras or vehicle video a valuable tool in showing just how members of the public are behaving when officers arrive and the scene of the incident.

[Jks9199]

Utter bullshit.

And I guaran-damn-tee that it was in response to accusations of rudeness or racial profiling, too.

[Second Chance]

After a few of those $1700.00 camera's get damaged, I bet that will stop very quick. I can see/hear it now from a supervisor, "Don't damage the camera, remove it before you go hands on with that 350 pound POS".

[lewisipso]

Um....no.

[OfficerResource.com]

If this is what law enforcement is coming to I'm not sure I want to be a part of it.

It reminds me of the way the military is being run now. The soldiers are going through bullshit and now it is spilling over to law enforcement.

[Motorwaycop]

They have been using these for a while in this area.

They're not used routinely but in domestic disputes specifically because so often the behaviour of the parties involved is so unbelieveable. If a picture paints a thousand words then video is a novel!

The most unfortunate thing is that now a police officers verbal evidence is not always accepted as the truth. If it's not on video then the police officer's evidence is in question. It is a sad reflection of society
but I think we have all experienced that kind of attitude.

[JohnSmith]

If my department does this, I will quit the next day. This shows a clear lack of trust from supervisors, and I'd rather be a firefighter that can do no wrong.

[121Traffic]

They have been using these for a while in this area.

They're not used routinely but in domestic disputes specifically because so often the behaviour of the parties involved is so unbelieveable. If a picture paints a thousand words then video is a novel!

The most unfortunate thing is that now a police officers verbal evidence is not always accepted as the truth. If it's not on video then the police officer's evidence is in question. It is a sad reflection of society
but I think we have all experienced that kind of attitude.

Problem here is that they're expecting to turn them on for EVERY contact.

I part I put in bold is what concerns me most, and is the reason I prefer not to have a dash cam and body mic.

[Cidp24]

If this is what law enforcement is coming to I'm not sure I want to be a part of it.

I'm glad I am on my way out. Police officers cannot be effective if the decisions that they make in a split second are analyzed for hours and then disciplinary measures are handed out on that analysis.

[CTR man]

Robocops at your service.

No offense to you guys in the UK but UGH!!! It figures that this would get started over here in CA and in the SF Bay Area at that. Where the bureaucrats and politicians (liberals) want to take the word of the Johnny Thuglets in society over LE because it keeps them in office.

The test using 18 patrol officers comes as citizens' groups criticize the department for too often using force during arrests.

Of course there is going to be some amount of force involved in most arrests. The Johnny Thuglets of society want to continue in their selfish ways and they can't do that while they're in prison. At least not to the extent that they want to carry on the outside.

I get so sick and tired of some people complaining about the way you guys and gals in LE do your jobs except when they themselves are the victims. They are so quick to laud on the praise as victims, but will quickly throw LE under the bus when they are not immediately affected.

San Jose is the first major American city to try the devices, made by Arizona-based Taser International. Taser is paying for the experiment, but the price could be high if San Jose equips all 1,400 officers.

Each kit costs $1,700, plus a $99 per officer monthly fee. That's $4 million department-wide each year.

As for the cost, I sure hope the city of San Jose plans on picking up that bill. Since they are the birthplace of all the computer high tech gadgetry that is called the Silicon Valley. Taser International is most likely paying for the experiment because it could inspire wealthy cities such as San Jose to pay them the big bucks. Of course the city will find someway of passing on the cost to the taxpayers. The cost of living is already outrageous there, why not jack it up even more.

[thanantos]

Of course cameras like this would no doubt lead to more Officers being exonerated than implicated, but the fact that they are being used makes me sick.

[pgg]

If this is going to be used, to bad the officers couldn't just turn in a copy of the video instead of writing a report.

[Jks9199]

If it's not on video then the police officer's evidence is in question. It is a sad reflection of society
but I think we have all experienced that kind of attitude.

I think that the loss of respect and faith in the integrity of Law Enforcement Officers is going to be one of the most costly changes in society over the last 30 or 40 years...

No, strike that.

It is going to the THE most costly things to happen to society.

[Motorwaycop]

If this is going to be used, to bad the officers couldn't just turn in a copy of the video instead of writing a report.

You'd think that wouldn't you, but as with most technological advances they seem to increase paperwork not decrease it!

[K9brando]

Yeah, like they are going to act the same way knowing that they are being video taped! I've seen officeres without in car camera act a certain way and then when they get into a car with a camera in it they totally change how they conduct the stop. Camera's don't prove anything!