Lake Stevens Police introduce body cams in May
Lake Stevens Police Department to start bodycam program in May
The Lake Stevens Police Department announced their officers will begin wearing bodycams in May
LAKE STEVENS, Wash. - The Lake Stevens Police Department (LSPD) will start implementing a body-worn camera program in May 2022.
According to LSPD, the program, which will be phased in over the next several months, is intended to increase transparency in policing services.
All uniformed personnel who interact with the public will be wearing body cams for activities, such as traffic stops, suspicious person contacts and responding to 911 calls.
New legislation requires law enforcement to record audio or video for interviews with minors, however, special considerations will be made for sensitive investigations, like sexual assaults, recording in a school environment and child abuse investigations.
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Studies have found that the use of body cameras on police officers leads to a decrease in both citizen complaints and officer use-of-force rates, authorities say. In addition, the cameras will aid in the prosecution of criminals.
"We understand trust between the public and our agency is key to achieving the mission and vision of the Lake Stevens Police Department," said Chief Jeffrey Beazizo. "Transparency is the foundation of that trust and the expectation that police actions be recorded is increasingly common."
The LSPD prides itself on being transparent and accountable to the community it serves, and this body cam program will serve as an increase to this commitment.
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