Ferguson Police Receive Cameras After Shooting; Public Remains Cynical

Many called for wearable cameras for police after the shooting of Michael Brown, but now that those cameras have been gifted to the force by a security firm in Texas, Ferguson residents don’t seem to feel much safer. There are a number of concerns being expressed about the efficacy of the devices.

ABC News reported this afternoon that a Texas firm specializing in surveillance equipment for police use had donated body cameras to the Ferguson force, saying that the devices would provide ‘indisputable evidence’ that would protect the police and public alike.

However, the response on social media today was not exactly overjoyed. The biggest, and most obvious, complaint is that the body cameras are a measure taken too late. They may prevent s similar shooting, but they won’t bring back Michael Brown.

Then too, many raise the question of whether the cameras would even be used, pointing to the fact that the Ferguson police department already owned two wearable cameras, as KSPR reported last month, and two dashcams, but the dashcams were not installed, and Officer Darren Wilson was not wearing a body camera.

While the department states this is due to cost concerns (it would cost a few thousand dollars to have the dashcams installed, and there are server fees for uploading and accessing any footage taken) residents are skeptical. It’s been pointed out that the officers were not wearing badges during some portions of the past three weeks of protest, with some residents suggesting cameras will receive the same treatment.

Others insinuate that they think footage would be tampered with, or that there would be claims of equipment malfunctioning, in the event of any abuse of power.

The Voice of San Diego reported in March that in police agencies where body cameras are put into use, complaints against officers have dropped by as much as 80%, which seems to suggest they’d be a boon for any police force, and community.

For now, the BBC reports that the police are wearing the cameras. It remains to be seen whether, and where, the department will find the funding to continue using the cameras after the shooting investigation is complete.

[photo credit: peoplesworld via photopin cc]

Ferguson Police Receive Cameras After Shooting; Public Remains Cynical