New police body camera policy finalized in Key West
BY PRU SOWERS
KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER
The Key West Police Department has finalized a policy that will require the use of body cameras by officers starting in the next few weeks.
The new policy lays out when, where and how the cameras will be used and includes provisions to protect the privacy of certain people who are videotaped during interactions with police. For example, body cameras will not be used in a hospital emergency room where the privacy of patients should be considered or during ambulance responses when a victim is not involved in any criminal activity. And cameras will not be used, according to the new policy, when it would cause “emotional distress” to a victim of a crime.
“The Key West Police Department is committed to the use of body worn cameras to protect the rights of police officers and citizens while balancing privacy interest,” the new policy states.
Other than these health and victim-related incidences, the Key West policy requires that body cameras be turned on during a long list of circumstances, including traffic stops, suspicious persons/vehicles, “confrontational citizen contacts,” use of force situations, foot pursuits, advising a person of their Miranda rights, and any encounter where the person is believed to be involved in a criminal activity.
Police officers are also required to turn on their body cameras when an encounter with a citizen becomes confrontational after the initial contact with that person did not require recording. An officer will also turn on the camera if a person requests to be recorded.
“It is the policy of the Key West Police Department to use body worn cameras to enhance the public’s perception of our professionalism and commitment to service,” the policy states.
The department currently has 100 Vievu LE3 body cameras that officers are training with before taking them out on actual calls. The cameras were purchased using fees from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department forfeiture fund. Key West Police Chief Doni Lee told city commissioners on June 2 that the cameras would be up and running “in the next couple of weeks.”
“Our police officers are currently training on the use of the body camera,” he said. “We still have some installation of equipment that we need to put in the [squad] cars so that they automatically download.”
“The sooner the better,” said City Commissioner Mark Rossi.
Key West Police Sgt. Joe Tripp said earlier that local police officers will store video footage not needed as evidence in criminal cases for 60 days. Recordings of confidential informants would be protected, as well. Footage needed for evidence would be based on state statutes, Tripp said at a recent Key West Citizens Review Board meeting.
Additional confidentiality restrictions are being hashed out at the state level. Florida Senate Bill 248, which has passed in both the House and Senate and is awaiting Gov. Rick Scott’s signature, would make any recordings confidential if they take place inside a private home, a facility that offers health care and “a place that a reasonable person would expect to be private.”
While there have been numerous calls for the use of police body cameras in Key West – particularly after the death two years ago of Charles Eimers, who stopped breathing and subsequently died after police handcuffed him face down on South Beach after a traffic infraction – recording an incident is only part of the documentation police must provide.
“The Department recognizes that video images cannot always show the full story nor do the video images capture the entire scene. The use of equipment to capture video images does not reduce the requirement to provide thorough written documentation of an incident,” the policy states.
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay has said his department is in the process of creating a policy for its use of police body cameras. He said cameras for his approximately 175 officers will be in place within a year.
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Body cameras are a step in the right direction, but the handful of “rotten apples” on the force have the option to turn the camera off or as in the past, “disappear” incriminating footage. The only way to truly prevent civil rights abuses and killings by police is to weed out the sociopaths on the force and stop hiring the same.
Not only is Alex spot-on, the culture of protecting these bad apples from within also needs to change.
I agree with both Alex and Jim, but I think not going with body cameras is not an option. It is for the protection of both the alleged perpetrator and officer. Chief Donie Lee should be looking at the other option, though – weeding out those officers who should not be on the force. I do applaud him for the action he has taken in regards to the body cameras. West Palm Beach made the same decision a few months ago, as I believe all police and sheriff’s departments need to do. Congratulations, Key West! A positive step in the right direction!