Madison Police (Photo: WRN)
More Madison police will be wearing body cameras, but Mayor Paul Soglin and Police Chief Mike Koval warn the devices are not not a fix-all for the disconnect between law enforcement officers and some segments of the public.
A pilot project with those body cameras is scheduled to start in 2016. Koval says a committee is being formed to create protocols for officers’ use of the cameras. He hopes to address concerns about the cameras recording interactions with juveniles or victims in domestic violence situations.
Both the mayor and the chief say it will take more to cement good relationships between police and the communities where they serve. One report suggests they could lead to fewer citizen complaints. Still, some city officials worry about an expense which would be measured in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but doesn’t guarantee a lasting solution.
WIBA