Following the recent arrests of two Fort Pierce officers, a city commissioner is seeking to change the way the city's police department uses body cameras.
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COURT RECORDS REVEALALLEGED EFFORTS TO COVER UPWHAT HAPPENED INSIDE AHOSPITAL ROOM& INCLUDINGTURNING OFF THEIR BODYCAMERAS.
WPTV TREASURE COASTREPORTER MEGHAN MCROBERTSEXPLAINS - IT'S LEADING ONECITY LEADER TO CALL FORSTRICTER RULES.<< SURVEILLANCE VIDEO INSIDELAWNWOOD REGIONAL MEDICALCENTER SHOW THE MOMENTSOFFICER ALBERT ECKRODE SLAPPEDAND PUNCHED A PATIENT& WHOINVESTIGATORS SAY WASINTOXICATED, KNOWN TO LAWENFORCEMENT, AND USING RACIALSLURS TOWARD A BLACK FEMALEOFFICER, MONICA FREDERIC.COURT RECORDS REVEAL EVERYOFFICER IN THE ROOM TURNED OFFTHEIR BODY CAMERAS.12:20:21;01“SO HAD IT NOTBEEN FOR THE RECORDING INLAWNWOOD, WE WOULDNTHIS DAY WHAT HAPPENED”INVESTIGATORS SAY OFFICERECKRODE WAS PROVOKING THEPATIENT TO KEEP USING THE N-WORD.
AND BEFORE THROWINGPUNCHES& RECORDS SHOW ECKRODECHECKED THAT EACH OFFICER HADTHEIR CAMERA OFF.
FREDERICTOLD INVESTIGATORS SHE QUOTE-SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SOMETHINGWAS GOING TO HAPPEN WHENOFFICER ECKRODE ASKED IF THEIRCAMERAS WERE ACTIVATED”12:20:10;10“I WAS JUSTSTUNNED” FREDERIC IS CHARGEDFOR LYING IN HER REPORT ABOUTWHAT HAPPENED& ALSO SHOWINGHER SUMMARY OF EVENTS TOOFFICER ECKRODE BEFORESUBMITTING IT.
INVESTIGATORSSAY SHE LIED THAT ECKRODE WASSPIT ON AND KICKED BY THEPATIENT, PROVOKING THEBEATING&AND THAT SHE TRIED TOGET ANOTHER OFFICER TO TELLTHE SAME STORY.
SHE MADE ASECOND REPORT& SAYING THATDIDNECKRODE ALSO ACCUSED OFTELLING THE SAME LIE IN HISREPORT.
12:25:05;22“WHEN YOUHAVE OFFICERS WHO ARE SAYINGTO HELL WITH THE RULES AND THEREGULATIONS, ICOVER IT UP LIKE WHAT HAPPENEDHERE, THAT NEEDS TO BEHANDLED” COMMISSIONER REGGIESESSIONS WORRIES TOO OFTENBODY CAMERAS ARENCRIMINAL ACTIVITY..
RECORDSSHOW FORT PIERCE INVESTIGATEDNEARLY A DOZEN BODY CAMERARELATED VIOLATIONS FROM 2016TO 2018... WITH EIGHTSUSTAINED FINDINGS.12:21:47;10“WE SPENT A LOT OFMONEY ON THOSE BODY CAMERAS.WHY ARENTHERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR WHYTHEY SHOULDNSESSIONS..
NOW WANTS MOREOVERSIGHT, PROPOSING A CITYORDINANCE THAT WOULD REQUIREOFFICERS TO UPLOAD BODY CAMERAFOOTAGE AFTER EVERY SHIFT OREVERY CITIZEN ENCOUNTER.WANTING SOMEONE OUTSIDE THEPOLICE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINEIF MISSING FOOTAGE IS ANACCIDENT, OR MALICIOUS.12:22:09;27“WESOMETHING IN PLACE WITH SOMETEETH TO MAKE SURE THAT THESEOFFICERS HAVE THESE BODYCAMERAS ON."
A Fort Pierce city commissioner wants more to be done to make sure police body cameras are always rolling when they are supposed to..
