Philadelphia Mayor To Propose Funding For Body Cameras
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says he's putting money in his first budget to provide 800 new body cameras for police. The move has support, with some qualifications.
The money for cameras, plus, a system to manage the footage, is part of $30 million Mayor Kenney will propose for infrastructure investments in the police department. That also includes improvements to police stations and a new headquarters. FOP president John McNesby, though not opposed to body cameras, wonders, why divert any money to them.
"Patrol officers are out there working daily in some really, really decrepit, dilapidated buildings: mold, asbestos, raw sewage; we have a homicide unit that can barely find a seat to interview a suspect," said McNesby.
He says there are also some labor issues to be worked out about their use and ACLU attorney Mary Catherine Roper says there need to be strict controls on their use and the footage they gather.
"We always have concerns when you have the government collecting large amounts of information on people," said Roper.
Commissioner Richard Ross has said in the past he supports their expanded use but the department did not reply to requests for comment.
