Following calls to outfit police officers with body cameras, from Ferguson protesters to President Barack Obama, a Bay Area agency is moving forward with the devices.
The Mountain View Police Department has purchased 66 body cameras for officers. Police spokesman Chris Hsiung said the department has been studying the pros and cons of the recording devices since 2010.
Hsiung said the cameras, which cost more than $100,000, will be used for public interactions and would be turned on whenever an officer is “going to make an enforcement stop.”
“We don’t want officers to have to think of turning on the cameras in a threatening situation,” Hsiung said.
According to Mountain View police, there are studies that show more positive interactions with officers wearing the cameras.
"Things become a lot more cordial," Hsiung told the Mountain View Voice.
They also saw a drop in formal complaints against police.
