Chicago Police Superintendent announces body cameras for cops
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy announced a pilot program to put body cameras on Chicago Police officers within the next 60 days.
McCarthy updated the status of the program Monday while discussing crime statistics and a series of national protests linked to the decision not to indict a police officer in the summer shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
The top cop said that the pilot will start with officers who have volunteered for the program.
The number of officers participating and where the pilot will start is currently unknown, said Police spokesman Marty Maloney.
The update on the program came as McCarthy noted that with one month left in 2014, crime statistics were “trending in a positive direction.”
In addition to lower homicide and overall crime rates, McCarthy said that there has been a 17 percent drop in complaints filed against police over the last two years. He attributes this to better communication with community members.
“In a post-Ferguson world, those are relevant statistics. Those are relevant issues,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy acknowledged that the events in Ferguson have been on his mind recently. “This is something that’s not new. This has been something for at least the 34 years I’ve been policing,” McCarthy said about how some shootings cause outrage.
“This has been a narrative that has been going on for a long time,” McCarthy told DNAInfo. “I think at some point there has to be an honest discussion.” Citizens have been pushing nationally for police officers to wear body cameras.
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