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New York police test body cameras New York police test body cameras
(about 3 hours later)
New York City's police commissioner has unveiled body cameras his department will soon begin testing. He demonstrated the equipment by playing a short video showing a good-natured traffic stop from an officer's perspective.New York City's police commissioner has unveiled body cameras his department will soon begin testing. He demonstrated the equipment by playing a short video showing a good-natured traffic stop from an officer's perspective.
"I'm going to issue you a summons for that red light, OK?" the unseen officer can be heard politely telling the driver he has just pulled over. "Give me a second, OK?" the officer adds in a reassuring voice, which the driver appears to think is fair enough. "I'll be right back.""I'm going to issue you a summons for that red light, OK?" the unseen officer can be heard politely telling the driver he has just pulled over. "Give me a second, OK?" the officer adds in a reassuring voice, which the driver appears to think is fair enough. "I'll be right back."
It is the sort of genteel encounter between an officer and a civilian that Bill Bratton, the city's police commissioner since January, said he hoped would become more common if both parties know they are being recorded.It is the sort of genteel encounter between an officer and a civilian that Bill Bratton, the city's police commissioner since January, said he hoped would become more common if both parties know they are being recorded.
Other departments already using the cameras have found they tend to bring out the best behaviour on both sides and "de-escalate" encounters with police, Bratton said at a news conference at the headquarters of America's largest police department.Other departments already using the cameras have found they tend to bring out the best behaviour on both sides and "de-escalate" encounters with police, Bratton said at a news conference at the headquarters of America's largest police department.
"I think clearly the officer, knowing they are being recorded, will affect the behaviour of the officer in a good way," Bratton said. Only 60 of the city's 35,000 officers will be asked to volunteer to wear the cameras in the pilot programme. "I think clearly the officer, knowing they are being recorded will affect the behaviour of the officer in a good way," Bratton said. Only 60 of the city's 35,000 officers will be asked to volunteer to wear the cameras in the pilot programme.
The death of Michael Brown, the unarmed Missouri teenager shot in the street by a police officer in disputed circumstances last month, has brought a renewed focus on the technology. The officer who shot Brown was not wearing a camera.The death of Michael Brown, the unarmed Missouri teenager shot in the street by a police officer in disputed circumstances last month, has brought a renewed focus on the technology. The officer who shot Brown was not wearing a camera.
Bratton said the cameras would provide a more objective record of a police encounter than contradictory hearsay.Bratton said the cameras would provide a more objective record of a police encounter than contradictory hearsay.
Two uniformed sergeants stood near Bratton, modelling the two types of cameras the department will test. The first is made by Taser International, best-known for its eponymous stun guns. The second is from Vievu, a Seattle-based company specialising in wearable cameras.Two uniformed sergeants stood near Bratton, modelling the two types of cameras the department will test. The first is made by Taser International, best-known for its eponymous stun guns. The second is from Vievu, a Seattle-based company specialising in wearable cameras.
Bratton has said he is a supporter of the technology and would have launched tests even if a federal judge had not ordered the department to do so last year as part of a ruling that found the city's use of so-called stop-and-frisk tactics unconstitutional.Bratton has said he is a supporter of the technology and would have launched tests even if a federal judge had not ordered the department to do so last year as part of a ruling that found the city's use of so-called stop-and-frisk tactics unconstitutional.
The Center for Constitutional Rights, one of the advocacy groups that successfully sued the city over the stop-and-frisk tactics, criticised the way the police department had gone about launching the pilot programme.The Center for Constitutional Rights, one of the advocacy groups that successfully sued the city over the stop-and-frisk tactics, criticised the way the police department had gone about launching the pilot programme.
"This kind of unilateral decision on the part of the NYPD follows the non-transparent, go-it-alone approach to police reform we saw with the prior NYPD and mayoral administration," Darius Charney, one of the centre's lawyers, said in statement, referring to the New York Police Department and the former mayor, Michael Bloomberg."This kind of unilateral decision on the part of the NYPD follows the non-transparent, go-it-alone approach to police reform we saw with the prior NYPD and mayoral administration," Darius Charney, one of the centre's lawyers, said in statement, referring to the New York Police Department and the former mayor, Michael Bloomberg.