Smile for police car video

The Wichita City Council did the responsible thing Tuesday in approving video cameras for some police cars.
Anyone who has watched one of those “most-shocking” police video shows knows how effective video can be in establishing facts in traffic incidents and in resolving “he said, she said” controversies.
Police Chief Norman Williams has not made cameras a priority. But as The Eagle editorial board has argued, they can be an effective, high-profile way for police to address charges of racial profiling and boost accountability and public trust — and cameras protect officers from frivolous complaints and charges.
This is a modest start — only eight traffic cruisers are involved — but it’s a good first step for Wichita in adopting this law enforcement best practice.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

6 Comments

  1. RustyFord
    Posted August 15, 2007 at 2:19 am | Permalink

    A good first step? For putting video camera in 8, count them, EIGHT, traffic cruisers..while considering a $290 MILLION dollar renovation of Century 2 ?????

    We don’t have to second guess where the priorities are in this town!

  2. Kev
    Posted August 15, 2007 at 5:58 am | Permalink

    The cops should have cameras. Not only because they establish the facts but because I enjoy watching them on “Most Shocking Police Videos”. While they might not be a “priority” for Norman, the Wichita Police Dept doesn’t seem to mind cameras because they are always on COPS on Fox TV.

  3. thinkfirst
    Posted August 15, 2007 at 7:43 am | Permalink

    Don’t kid yourself. Those cameras are really for the protection of the public from the cops. The audio portion will stop a lot of bad behavior.

  4. bill
    Posted August 15, 2007 at 9:05 am | Permalink

    What is the Chief trying to hide??Quit dragging your nuckles…i mean feet

  5. Kev
    Posted August 15, 2007 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    “Don’t kid yourself. Those cameras are really for the protection of the public from the cops. The audio portion will stop a lot of bad behavior.”

    Almost all the videos I have seen show the officer acting as he or she should and the person they are dealing with being uncooperative, rude or worse. If you cuss, hit, spit or kick the officer and he goes upside your head, you deserved it.

  6. Jed
    Posted August 16, 2007 at 6:14 am | Permalink

    Kev,The police are supposed to bring arrested people to the courts for trial and punishment. A person who is uncooperative or rude should be brought in with the minimum force necessary. It is NOT the job of an officer to go upside the head of a person who is not threatening immediate bodily harm to that officer or another in the course of a legitimate arrest. I have seen way too many incidents of officers busting heads or ribs or arms of defenseless people just to make a point. There are some officers on the street that need arresting more than the people they’re sent to pick up, but it’ll never happen!