Cops' body cameras prove popular

PULLMAN - Safety and accountability were the primary reasons why Pullman police began wearing body cameras last year, but a new study suggests improved communication may be an even bigger benefit.

David Makin, a research fellow at the Washington State Institute for Criminal Justice, has been studying the department's use of the new technology since the idea of equipping patrol officers with cameras was first discussed about two years ago.

By interviewing officers before and after the implementation, he found their opinions shifted from some initial anxiety and opposition to a strongly favorable impression, even given a few technical difficulties in using the equipment.

Moreover, in addition to documenting evidence and interactions with the public, officers can now use the video footage to critique themselves and look for ways to improve their own performance.

"That was one of the more fascinating things to come out of the study," said Makin, who is also an associate professor at Washington State University's Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

"For many of the officers, this (technology) was really about communication," he said. "It wasn't so much about safety procedures, like how did they approach a car. It was almost entirely about how did they communicate, how could they word things better to de-escalate a situation. That was remarkable. It was self-correcting behavior."

The Pullman department began using body cameras about 18 months ago. Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said there was some initial apprehension, but that had more to do with when the technology should be used, not whether it should be used.

"One of the biggest fears wasn't about using cameras in the field," he said. "It was that officers would forget to turn them off or accidentally activate them back at the station, in places where it wasn't appropriate."

The cameras clip to an officer's uniform and have to be manually activated, Tennant said, but the video can't be deleted or edited once it's recorded. The footage is also subject to public records requests - meaning if someone leaves a camera on in the restroom, it's there for posterity.

Another concern was that supervisors would spend all their time reviewing videos, looking for the slightest transgressions. In practice, however, the footage is more likely to support an officer's actions, rather than be used against them.

"Just about every officer I spoke with had a story about allegations of misconduct that were cleared up the moment the video was reviewed," Makin said.

One officer, for example, was accused of making sexual advances on a young woman who'd been stopped for speeding. The entire interview was recorded, though, "and immediately cleared up," Makin said. "The officer was off the hook."

Tennant said about a dozen misconduct complaints have been received since officers began using the cameras. None of them have been substantiated, largely based on the video evidence.

"From management's perspective, it's wonderful to be able to pull up the video and observe the contact," he said. "It takes it out of the realm of 'he said, she said.' "

Officers also use the video to make sure their written reports are accurate - for example, in describing exactly how a DUI suspect failed a field sobriety test. And it offers additional evidence in nebulous situations that may be difficult to describe in a written report.

"We had one case where a man on a domestic (violence) call tried to get suicide-by-cop," Tennant said. "He pretended to have a gun and draw it quickly. The officers refrained from shooting, but we showed the video to the prosecutor and he pursued additional criminal charges."

Overall, he said, the body cameras have been a very positive experience for the department.

It costs about $800 to equip one officer with a camera, Tennant said, and there's a substantial annual fee for storing the video on a secure server.

"But in comparison to what one major lawsuit would cost, that's a drop in the bucket."

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Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.