The Danbury Police Department Welcome 115 Officer Body Cameras
Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour has announced the arrival of 115 body cameras used by its officers.
According to the police reform bill that was signed into law by Governor Lamont last summer, all police departments in the state are required to have both body and in-dash cams by July of 2022 but nationwide, 47 percent of law enforcement agencies already had the gear in 2016, according to CT Post.
After Michael Brown was gunned down by police in 2014 and George Floyd who was shot dead by a police officer on May 25 of last year, advocates have championed the use of both in-dash and body cameras.
What is the intended purpose of body cams worn by the police? According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the purpose of the cameras are to:
Demonstrate transparency to their communities; to document statements, observations, behaviors, and other evidence; and deter unprofessional, illegal, and inappropriate behaviors by both law enforcement and the public.
According to an intensive study conducted by George Mason University, the results found body cameras did not have a, "statistically significant or consistent effect" on police or the general public's behavior. Law enforcement officials are developing a policy on how to use the cameras that will best meet the practices according to the state's Police Officer Standards and Training Council. The 115 cameras obtained by Danbury's Police Department cost approximately $174,000.