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Baltimore Police Body Camera Rollout Later Than Planned

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Baltimore police officers will start wearing body cameras about a month later than originally announced.

Police spokesman T.J. Smith said Wednesday that the first 500 officers will start wearing the cameras at the end of this month at the earliest. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Kevin Davis had said in March that the program would begin May 1.

Smith says the department started receiving cameras this week and has begun training the trainers. Officers must undergo eight hours of training before wearing the cameras.

The 2,500 cameras are expected to be deployed in five phases through 2018. The city has an $11.6 million contract with Taser International that includes cameras and storage.

(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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