Texas Considers Body Cameras for Police Officers

Police departments are looking for ways to build more trust with the communities they serve.

By Rhonda FanningApril 9, 2015 9:53 am

Across the country, law enforcement officials are working to find more ways to keep officers accountable while they are on patrol. One popular solution is mandatory body cameras to record their interactions. It might seem like a simple solution, but the implementation of such cameras is a little complicated.

Charley Wilkison, executive director of Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, or CLEAT, talks with the Standard about the debate.

These videos could potentially exonerate an officer who’s doing his or her job and is falsely accused of something like excessive force – and could help reinforce a sense of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

The Texas Legislature is considering at least two bills related to officers’ use of body cameras; but there are still many concerns surrounding the issue, including whether or not the footage should be public record, or if private or sensitive information will be put at risk.

The position statement from CLEAT can be read here.