Police Department

SPD Hosts Community and Media Forums During Body Camera Pilot Program

Monique Cotton, Director of Communication and Public Information, 509.363.8285

Friday, September 5, 2014 at 8:49 a.m.

The Spokane Police Department will host community and media forums during the pilot phase of the body worn camera program. The body worn camera pilot program extends through December 2014 and will allow for public discussion and feedback regarding the body camera policy.

The implementation of the Spokane Police Department’s body worn camera pilot project began on September 1, 2014. Seventeen (17) Spokane Police officers volunteered to participate in the pilot project.

In addition to addressing technical and logistical issues, SPD leadership will use the pilot project to finalize the body camera policy, based on officer and community feedback.

• A body worn camera forum for the media will be hosted on September 12, 2014, at 10 a.m., at the Spokane Police Department’s Training Academy (2302 N. Waterworks St., Spokane, WA 99212). The purpose of the forum is to familiarize members of the media with the equipment, policy, public records request process, privacy concerns, and to solicit thoughts and comments.
• The draft policy will be shared with the public during a community forum on October 30, 2014, at 5:30 p.m., at Cataldo Hall on the Gonzaga University campus and through other community outreach opportunities.
• Additionally, members of the public are encouraged to send their thoughts, concerns and comments regarding body worn cameras to the Department via the body camera pilot program page (there is a comment section at the bottom of the page).

The pilot phase will end on December 31, 2014, with adjustments being made to the body worn camera policy and procedures based on officer and community input.

Below is a link to a body camera video news story. Although the video features a glasses-mounted camera (SPD is utilizing the chest-mounted cameras), the video provides perspective from the Laurel, Maryland Police Department, which currently utilizes the cameras.

• Body Camera News Story

Links are provided below to materials from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs regarding the use of body worn cameras

• Body Worn Cameras (PDF 5.62 MB)
• Police Executive Research forum (PERF) publication (PDF 5.1 MB) which offers the perspective of chiefs from around the country on the use of body worn cameras.

• Newer
• Older