BaCo. Police Officers To Start Wearing Body Cameras Next Week

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- Baltimore County police are ready to add body cameras to their officers' uniforms. The county program starts next week, and with it, comes training for the officers and education for the public.

The first cameras go into service Wednesday, WJZ's Pat Warren reports.

"We've mounted it on different places on the uniform -- chest, shoulder, hat -- the device I'm wearing today is hat mounted," said Chief Jim Johnson, Baltimore County Police Department.

Chief Johnson's hat was equipped with one of the 1,400 cameras that will eventually become standard issue on patrol. By the end of July, there will be 150 on the street.

The police department wants the public to know that the cameras are an additional tool and do not replace an officer's discretion, but policy does require the cameras to be turned on in most cases.

"Most calls for police service that could result in an interaction with a citizen that could result in arrest, all traffic stops," said Johnson.

There's also policy in place in case the cameras aren't on when they should be.

"If we identify officers that appear not to be activating the device and we believe that it's intentional, certainly, they will be subject to our disciplinary system," said Johnson.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz says the cameras are about transparency.

"There has been considerable debate in other places about who should be able to view body camera footage and the extent to which it should be released to the public. Well, there's no debate about that here in Baltimore County," said Kamenetz.

In Baltimore County, body camera footage is a public record, and will be treated like any other public record.

The cameras cost $12 million -- paid for by another video tool -- the Baltimore County speed cameras.

The full 1,435 cameras will be operating in July of 2017.