At its meeting on
Monday, Feb. 11, the Chesterton Town Council will hear a request from Police
Chief Dave Cincoski for authorization to purchase body and in-car camera
systems for his officers.
As Cincoski told
the Police Commission at its meeting Thursday night, the systems will cost
approximately $40,000, funds for which have been budgeted.
The system is the
same one used by the Porter County Sheriff’s Police and the Valparaiso
Police Department, Cincoski noted, and in a demo of the system last month it
was “well received” by CPD officers.
Town Council Member
Emerson DeLaney, R-5th--the council’s liaison to the CPD--told the
commission that he’s talked to a number of PCSP deputies about the system
and “they love it, they absolutely love it.”
“Some of the
features on the system are just amazing,” DeLaney added. “For the safety of
our officers as well as the public, it’s a win-win.”
Among the features
is this one: the cameras automatically activate when an officer draws his
service weapon or removes the CPD-issued shotgun from its storage locker in
the vehicle. The system is also much more compact than other systems on the
market.
In advance of
Cincoski’s appearance before the council on Monday, members by consensus
endorsed a new Standard Operating Procedure for the use of the body and
in-car cameras. Some highlights from that SOP on the “Mobile Audio/Video” (MAV)
and “Body Worn Camera (BWC) recording system:
* “At the start of
each shift, officers shall test the MAV/BWC system’s operations” and shall
“ensure the MAV recorder (in-car) is positioned and adjusted to record
events.”
* “Officers shall
note in reports, call-for-service logs, or e-tickets when records are made
during an incident. Any recordings are not a substitute for normal and
routine notes, reports, or log entries.”
* “In the event
that a portion of video needs to be deleted (i.e., inadvertent recording or
activation, personal encounter, etc.), the officer must submit a request in
writing and be approved by the chief or designee. The approval for deletion
will fall in accordance with state record retention laws.
* “All recordings
made by members on any department-issued recording device while acting in an
official capacity of the department shall remain the property of the
department. Officers shall have no expectation of privacy or ownership
interest in the content of these recordings.”
* “Officers are
prohibited from using recording systems for personal use and from making
personal copies of recordings created while on duty.”
* “Recordings shall
not be used by any member of the department for the purpose of
embarrassment, intimidation, or ridicule.”
* “Recordings shall
not be used to record communications with other police personnel without the
permission of the chief of designee; encounters with undercover officers or
their confidential informants; when on break or otherwise engaged in
personal activities; in any location where individuals have a reasonable
expectation of privacy, such as a restroom or locker room.”
* “Officers shall
recognize that in activating a recording system, there are situations where
a person has been the victim of a highly personal crime, such as a sexual
assault, or where the victim has made it known they do not wish to be
recorded, or while inside a residence. Officers should consider the
evidentiary value versus the detrimental effect on the victim when
determining if deactivating the recording system is warranted.”
* “Officers are
encouraged to record every citizen encounter as any contact can potentially
be hazardous. . . . The MAV/BWC system shall be activated in any of the
following situations: traffic stops; vehicle pursuits; suspicious vehicles;
arrests; consents to search; physical, verbal, or domestic disputes or uses
of force; OWI investigations, including field sobriety tests; crimes in
progress; any other contact that the officer perceives potential to become
adversarial; all self-initiated activity in which an officer would normally
notify dispatch; any other circumstances where the officer believes that a
recording of an incident would be appropriate.”
* “Once activated,
the MAV/BWC system shall remain on until the incident being recorded has
concluded in order to ensure the integrity of the incident and the
recording. . . For the purpose of this section, conclusion of an incident
has occurred when all arrests have been made, arrestees have been
transported, and all witnesses and victims have been interviewed.”
* “If an officer is
involved in an officer-involved shooting or other serious use of force, the
department reserves the right to limit or restrict an officer from
immediately reviewing any video recordings.”
* “Officers shall
not edit, alter, erase, duplicate, copy, share, or otherwise distribute
recordings in any manner without the prior written authorization of the
chief or designee.”