FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 12/18/2014
Councilmember Harrell Statement on Launch of Body Camera Pilot
SEATTLE – Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of theCouncil’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, issued the following statement regarding the pilot launch of body cameras:
“We have all been working toward this day, the pilot launch of body cameras on our police officers. This pilot is an important stage in helping the City assess the best hardware, logistics for storage and public disclosure, staffing support, officer feedback, and department use policies. My goal is full deployment in 2016. The public deserves to have clear impartial video evidence of police and civilian interactions, so we can more accurately examine incidents of police misconduct and produce video and audio evidence when shootings occur. A study from the Rialto (California) Police Department found cameras decreased the number of police misconduct claims by 88 percent and reduced the number of times officers had to use force by 60 percent. Body cameras will be a game changer, a progressive means to improve public safety, police accountability, transparency, and trust with the community.”