2015 Annual Report | Page 33

Body Camera Roll-Out The Dallas Police Department has strived to increase its transparency and in 2013, Chief David Brown had announced that the department would begin evaluating body cameras for its offi cers. The Training Class culminated a two year-long project including a pilot program with fi eld testing of different brands of body camera systems. We conducted extensive research and developed our own departmental policy. In July 2015, we held our fi rst Body Camera Training Class at the In-Service Academy. This was in preparation for a September roll-out of body cameras to 200 offi cers at all seven patrol stations, beginning at our Central patrol station. The two day class consisted of offi cers learning about functionality, departmental policy and state law as it relates to the body cameras. In conjunction with departmental statistics on offi cer involved shootings that are publicly released on our www.dallaspolice. net website, Chief Brown feels the cameras add another layer of transparency and encourages not only its offi cers, but also the citizens of Dallas to embrace the new technology. 32