DHS, ICE Begin Body Camera Pilot Program With Surprisingly Good Policies In Place

DHS, ICE Begin Body Camera Pilot Program With Surprisingly Good Policies In Place

2 years ago
Anonymous $dEyjbtEkMr

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20211226/12382048179/dhs-ice-begin-body-camera-pilot-program-with-surprisingly-good-policies-place.shtml

Following protests over killings by law enforcement officers, the Department of Justice decided it might be a good idea to equip more police officers with body cameras. In May 2015, it announced the federal government would be spending $75 million over the next three years to purchase body cameras for local law enforcement agencies.

The DOJ saw the potential for body cameras to produce more accountability, lower the chances of deadly interactions, and rebuild some trust with the communities officers served. That's presumably why it opted out of this push for body camera adoption. Five months after it announced the body cam grant program, DOJ reps told local law enforcement that use of body cameras wasn't allowed when partnering with federal law enforcement. Either the cameras stayed home or the local cops did. No exceptions.