First of two parts.
Body cameras are the rage in police departments in America, given the spike in — and the hype about — outcries by suddenly sensitive suspects.
Culver City will join the trend by early next year, says Police Chief Scott Bixby.
“We are in the process of implementing them,” he said. “I think we have decided on a vendor.”
Given the broad range of new-fangled technology and the almost-coordinated wave of complaints nationwide lately about maltreatment by cops of certain suspects, the next step is no surprise.
Police departments are organizing and coordinating.
“The biggest issue,” says Mr. Bixby, “is that police chiefs are trying to do a county-wide policy on body cams, to get all of the departments on the same page, or to adopt similar policies.
“Our goal is to have a very, very similar Best Practice policy on the body cams and on releasing videos.”
Mr. Bixby said a uniform policy across Los Angeles County is a realistic objective. “Policies won’t be the same word-for-word,” he said, “because each agency is unique, and they have to make policy fit their communities.”
One more consideration:
“Ultimately,” said Mr. Bixby, “the courts will have to decide what we can retain,” said Mr. Bixby. “Certainly with ongoing investigations, we are going to hang onto them until cases have been adjudicated.
“Other things might be in the public interest, that they need to know. Let’s say we have a controversial shooting. Only half the information is out there. We have video that will shed very different light on it.
“That may be something we want to get out there right away,” Mr. Bixby said.
(To be continued)
