Body cameras coming to KCPD as soon as October

Body cameras may be coming to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department as soon as October.

A 16-camera trial run ended Friday.

BUT FIRST -WITH A GROWING DEMANDFOR MORE POLICEACCOUNTABILITY --TODAY THE KANSAS CITYBOARD OF POLICECOMMISSIONERS TOOK AMAJOR STEP TO BRINGBODY CAMERAS TO K-C-P-D."so the first item, is to acceptthedonation from the policefoundationof kanasas city in the amountof90thousand dollars."THAT MONEY WASAPPROVED AND WILL BEUSED TO PURCHASE BODYCAMERAS FOR THEDEPARTMENT - AND THEYCOULD ARRIVE AS SOONAS OCTOBER.KANSAS CITY POLICE JUSTFINISHED TESTING 16BODY CAMERAS.THEY COMPLETED THETRIAL PERIOD THIS PASTFRIDAY.41 I-TEAM REPORTERANDY ALCOCK TAKES ACLOSER LOOK AT WHATBODY CAMS WOULD MEANFOR THE DEPARTMENT -AND THE COMMUNITY.PROTESTERS TOOK TOTHE STREETS IN KANSASCITY AND CITIES ACROSSAMERICA AFTER THE MAYDEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.THREE MINNEAPOLISPOLICE OFFICERS HAVEBEEN CHARGED WITHFLOYD'S DEATH.SOME PROTESTERS HAVECALLED FOR POLICEREFORM AND MOREACCOUNTABILITY.KANSAS CITY MAYORQUINTON LUCAS AND KCPDHAVE TAKEN ACTION.QUINTON LUCAS/KANSAS CITYMAYOR"I think people of Kansas Citycan say wow, they're reallytaking some key steps tomake a difference for ourfuture."ONE CHANGE IS THEPURSUIT OF BODYCAMERAS FOR POLICEOFFICERS.AT TUESDAY'S KANSASCITY POLICE BOARDMEETING, MAJOR PAULLESTER TOLDCOMMISSIONERS KCPDJUST COMPLETED TESTINGOF 16 BODY CAMERAS.MAJOR PAUL LESTER/KCPD"THEY PERFORMED ASEXPECTED IN THE FIELD.THE OFFICERS REPORTEDTHEY WERE VERY USERFRIENDLY."A TASK FORCE, WHICHINCLUDES MEMBERS OFTHE PUBLIC,PROSECUTORS ANDPOLICE IS CURRENTLYWORKING ON A POLICYFOR BODY CAM USE.THE WYANDOTTE COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEOVERLAND PARK POLICEDEPARTMENT ARE TWOAREA LAW ENFORCEMENTAGENCIES CURRENTLYUSING BODY CAMERAS.ACCORDING TO OVERLANDPARK POLICE POLICY FORBODY WORN CAMERAS ORBWC'S, OFFICERS CANTURN OFF THE CAMERAS,BUT MUST EXPLAIN WHY IFTHEY DO.THE POLICY ALSO STATES,"IF THERE IS A HEARING OROTHER DISCIPLINARYMATTER INVOLVING THEOFFICER, THE OFFICERWILL BE ABLE TO REVIEWTHE BWC OF THE INCIDENTIN QUESTION."AS FOR KCPD, THE PLAN ISTO TRIGGER BODY CAMUSE THE SAME WAY IN CARCAMERAS START, WHEN ANOFFICER'S LIGHTS ANDSIREN ARE TURNED ON.AFTER THE RECENTTESTING, KCPD ISEXPECTED TO STARTBUYING BODY CAMS IN THENEXT COUPLE WEEKS."THIS SHOWS NOT ONLYMY OFFICE, BUT THEDEPARTMENT, SO MANYOTHERS, ARE REALLYTRYING THEIR BEST TOMAKE SURE THAT WE'RESTANDING UP TO THECHALLENGES OF THETIME.""KCPD PLANS TOPURCHASE 340 CAMERASAT FIRST.HOWEVER, OVER TIMETHROUGH MULTIPLEFUNDING SOURCES, KCPDEXPECTS TO ULTIMATELYBUY 1400 CAMERAS.THAT NUMBER WOULDCURRENTLY ALLOW ABODY CAM FOR EVERYSWORN KCPD OFFICER.AT KCPD HEADQUARTERSDOWNTOWN, I'MINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK, 41 ACTION NEWS.THE POLICE DEPARTMENTTESTED THE BODYCAMERAS FOR ABOUTTHREE WEEKS.NOW THEY'RE TESTINGTHE SOFTWARE THATCOMES WITH THEM.THAT INCLUDESSEARCHING FOR VIDEO,REDACTING, ANDLEARNING HOW TODELIVER IT TOPROSECUTORS.THE DEPARTMENT SAYSTHE FIRST ORDER OFCAMERAS SHOULD ARRIVEAROUND THE FIRST OFOCTOBER.THE TASK FORCE WILLCONTINUE TO DEVELOPTHE BODY CAMERA POLICY