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Is it time for Santa Barbara County law enforcement agencies to adopt policies and procedures for body cameras? Would incorporating this new visual tool enhance the evolving role of patrol officers and sheriff deputies in our changing, technological society?
Across the nation, body cameras are becoming a valuable tool in evaluating disputed actions on the part of both law enforcement and the public. Recorded footage is sometimes critical in ascertaining guilt or innocence. Images the camera records can be played in courts and in the media. The public is now highly media conscious and often insists on seeing what has been caught on camera in the interest of fairness and transparency. This tool is becoming more available to law enforcement throughout California. While not failsafe, the data provided by cameras can offer protection for both the officers and the public. The 2016-17 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury concludes that the use of body cameras has the potential of providing greater transparency for both the public and law enforcement.
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April 19, 2017
Edhat Santa Barbara
Source: Santa Barbara Grand Jury
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