Body cameras: The new eyes of the law

[The Straight Story]

Body cameras: The new eyes of the law
The Burnsville Police Department is the first in the state to use body cameras, which may become a new standard.

Like any law enforcement agency would, the Burnsville Police Department immediately launched an investigation when a suspect recently accused an officer of excessive force for handcuffing him too tightly upon arrest.

While at other departments that kind of internal affairs investigation would take days or weeks, in Burnsville the matter was settled in about 10 minutes.

The arresting officer was one of Burnsville's so-called "Robo Cops," a group of about 20 officers who since July have been using portable video recording devices attached to their headgear to record just about every traffic stop, vehicle search, domestic dispute and arrest.

Burnsville is the first department in the state to use the technology and one of a handful around the country. Eventually, all of Burnsville's street officers, about 40 of the 75 sworn officers, will be equipped this way, police officials said.

http://www.startribune.com/local/111325514.html

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. of course, if something bad did

happen, the unit would uh, malfunction, yeah, that's it... malfunction

just like 6 dashcams did in maryland all at the same time at the same event

[Pholus]

2. Yet if a citizen wore one to record the officer, some would want to prosecute.

[Earth_First]

3. Yet, once you turn the camera on a law enforcement officer...

just sayin'