Police body-worn cameras to make first appearance in Tacoma on Monday
The first batch of 20 body-worn cameras will be deployed on Tacoma police officers starting Monday, the Tacoma Police Department announced.
The officers using the cameras have trained with them and are responsible for training the rest of the department.
More than 80 officers in all sectors and on all shifts will be issued body worn cameras beginning Jan. 4. Phased deployment of the cameras for the rest of TPD officers is expected to be completed by March 2021. There are about 250 uniformed officers receiving cameras.
Cost to implement the body camera system is about $1.2 million in the first year, then $800,000 for each consecutive year.
The cameras are Axon Body 3, which are positioned on the chest of the officers and record both audio and video.
Officers are required to start recording as soon as possible any time they engage with the public, according to TPD policy.
The city’s Community Police Advisory Committee (CPAC), made up of representatives from the community, helped develop the body camera policies.
According to policy, police officers will be “subject to discipline” if they intentionally fail to activate the recording function on the body-worn camera. The policy adds that “if there is a reasonable explanation as to why there was no activation, that will be taken into account.”
Public record requests can be made for body camera footage. Starting Jan. 1, body cam requests will be subject to a $0.49 per minute redaction fee. Charges will not be levied if the request comes from a person involved in a recorded incident and their attorney.
“This is an important step for our Police Department and for our community in creating a more accountable and transparent police force in Tacoma,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards in a Friday press release. “Yet, we also know this is a small step in the transformation we need to make as a City to be anti-racist and ensure equitable and just policing for all community members.”
For more information, visit cityoftacoma.org.
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 10:05 AM.
