As of July 4th, police officers in the Crump Station Precinct of Memphis will be issued body cameras to use while in the line of duty.
In a nationwide attempt to monitor police actions for misconduct and protect officers against false allegations, more police departments have been installing both personal and patrol car cameras to their units. The city of Memphis has implemented $25 million initiative to equip more of their patrol with cameras, Police Dept. Public Information Officer Louis Brownlee reported via email to The Commercial Appeal.
Personal body cameras are to be left on to record video while the cop is on duty. The in-car cameras on police vehicles will be triggered when the vehicle’s blue lights are engaged, or a nearby vehicle surpasses 75 mph as measured by their radar.
Recordings taken by these cameras will be stored as evidence for any future allegations from either the police department or the accused, with a different shelf life for different offenses. Typical traffic stops will be kept for 90 days, with more serious offenses being stored for longer periods of time depending on their severity. The company which sold the cameras to the MPD also hosts the service wherein the videos will be stored and can be accessed for future reference.
The storage of police-taken footage has been estimated to cost the city of Memphis approximately $1 million per year.
The initiative surrounding these cameras was set to begin late last year, but was postponed by new mayor Jim Strickland. Mayor Strickland now believes that the force is appropriately trained for this change, and the correct procedures have taken place to install the cameras.
Currently, only three Crump Station Precinct officers are using body cameras. 18 more cameras will be issued next month. Approximately 150 MPD vehicles are currently equipped with cameras.
