City May Put Cameras On Baltimore School Officers

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City schools are now exploring the option of outfitting their school police with body cameras. This, after a shocking video surfaces, showing a city school officer slapping a student.

Tracey Leong has details on the plan.

While this violent incident is being investigated by police, school officials are also considering body cameras--an idea with mixed reaction.

It's a disturbing video, showing a school officer slapping and kicking a 16-year-old student.

"There's no justification for it at all. I don't care what the student did," said Bob Filler, parent.

"That was inappropriate and I was totally appalled by it," said City Schools Chief of Support Karl Perry.

The abuse was caught on video last week at REACH! Partnership School in East Baltimore.

The teen's lawyer tells WJZ the student was hospitalized with bruised ribs.

"Every officer should have a body camera because you don't know what happened before the incident and you don't know what's going to happen after the incident," said Joseph Myrick, student.

Students are in full support of placing body cameras on their school police officers--an idea school officials were exploring before this brutal attack occurred.

"This is an opportunity for improvement, and we're going to certainly utilize it as that," said Dr. Gregory Thornton, CEO, Baltimore City Schools.

One of the biggest issues with body cameras is the concern over privacy.

"We have to make sure that we don't violate the rights of any students if police officers did have body cameras," said Perry.

Some parents and school leaders are worried the cameras may capture sensitive information that could endanger students.

"Every time you have a body camera, you have two students, they're having a conversation, the camera photographs it," said Filler.

This discussion comes as Baltimore City is preparing to outfit its police department with body cameras--both a lengthy and expensive process.

"It took us long enough to get to it with the city police, no sense wasting time thinking about it... I mean, we should think about it," said Mary Pat Clarke, Baltimore City Council.

While the debate over body cams on schools officers heats up, many agree this behavior is simply unacceptable.

"Abuse of power. Way out of line with anything we can tolerate," said Clarke.

Both of the officers seen in the video as well as the school police chief are now on paid administrative leave.

The school plans to hold several community meetings to help mend the relationship between police and the public.