In 1995, the Moscow Police Department began a program that introduced in-car video cameras to be placed inside officers’ vehicles on shifts and activated when sirens whirl. Since then, the department has stuck with the program to provide transparency to the community.
On April 20, the police department introduced WatchGuard body-worn cameras as another type of technology for on-call officers. The body cameras support the department’s mission.
“To provide professional police services by inviting public participation, resulting in a community atmosphere where citizens are free of unnecessary regulation and are treated with dignity and respect,” a press release from the city of Moscow stated. “Our personnel will maintain high ethical standards, training and professional development. Our goal is to provide a community that is safe, secure and a pleasant place to live and visit.”
Chief of Police James Fry said the decision to deploy body cameras began with a strategic plan formed over the last eight years.
“With everything that’s been going on nationally, we felt like it was a good time to go ahead and make that move to let the community feel more protected,” Fry said. “We decided to push forward and get it approved.”
To initiate deploying body cameras, Moscow City Council approved the program during a budget hearing Oct. 1. The initial startup costs reached nearly $60,000 and extra time was taken to have the cameras purchased, ordered and deployed. Fry said once WatchGuard trained the officers, they were able to use them out in the field.
The department requires a Body-Worn Camera protocol including “all sworn officers to wear and use the body-worn camera equipment during their entire shift,” the release stated. Cameras will record all calls, like enforcement-related contacts, incidents when law enforcement action is taken and additional service. These situations include “emergency responses, pursuits, traffic stops, detentions, arrests, citations, vehicle searches, interviews of victims and witnesses and confrontational contact,” the release stated.
The footage of these recordings from in-car and body-worn cameras are a part of public records and managed to the Idaho Sate Code Title 74. Footage may be retained depending on the severity of the incident but is generally available for the community to view.
One of the challenges officers have faced is getting used to battery life and being able to charge the cameras.
“Officers are excited to be wearing them and have another piece of equipment that can add to transparency but also collect information,” Fry said. “We’re excited to have them and to utilize them out on the street.”
Emily Pearce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce