President Barack Obama announced steps to strengthen community policing Monday, according to a White House press release. The release stated that events in Ferguson have highlighted the importance of strong and collaborative relationships between local law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Part of Obama's plan includes increasing the use of body worn cameras - an effort some local law enforcement agencies in Callaway County have started making in the past year.
The Fulton Police Department first started looking at body cameras about a year and a half ago. Before investing in body cameras about six months ago, Chief Steve Myers said the department spent some time researching different cameras to decide which one was right for them. In their research, they looked at the destructibility of the cameras and the compatibility of the camera's software to the department's current software.
Myers said the cameras they chose had software compatible with the software Fulton Police use for their in-car cameras. That way, the police department didn't have to buy new software for the cameras.
Every Fulton patrol officer has a body camera on shift. Myers said Fulton Police haven't had any issues with the cameras since they added them six months ago. They haven't received a lot of feedback.
"We haven't had any issues where they (the body cameras) have really made a difference one way or the other," Myers said.
Fulton Police do have to provide copies of any cases that were taped on the cameras to the prosecutor because they become evidence. However, Myers said most DWI cases were taped on in-car cameras so the body cameras haven't made a significant difference there.
According to the Associated Press, Obama said Monday that he is asking Congress for funding to buy 50,000 body cameras as a way to build trust and confidence between police and minority communities nationwide. He announced a newly-created task force that will study success stories and give recommendations on ways the government can support transparency and trust in the police.
Obama's proposal is a three-year, $263 million package that will increase the use of body cameras, add law enforcement training and add resources for police department reform, the AP reported. The AP also reported that $75 million of that package would pay for 50,000 lapel-mounted cameras to record police while they are on the job - state and local government agencies would pay half the cost.
Prior to this announcement Monday, other grant funding was available for law enforcement agencies that wanted to invest in body worn cameras. Fulton's police department used grant money to purchase their body cameras. Earlier this fall, the Auxvasse Police Department purchased a couple body cameras to test them out. Auxvasse Police Chief Kevin Suedmeyer told the city's Board of Aldermen he planned to pursue grants to pay for additional cameras for the rest of the department.
Assistant Police Chief Charles Anderson told the Auxvasse Board of Alderman in September that the cameras have a flash drive attached so an officer can easily save recordings from the camera to a computer.
"The main reason we're moving in this direction is because it does reduce our liability," Anderson told the board in September. "This will let us be able to record every contact we have with a citizen. It's for our protection, their protection, the city's protection."
Obama's plan to strengthen community policing included two other parts as well: The creation of a new task force to promote community-oriented policing and reform of how the federal government equips state and local law enforcement agencies, especially when it comes to military-style equipment.