LINCOLN -- Lincoln police officers are now wearing body cameras that are activated during all traffic stops and other calls, according to Tony Lee, assistant police chief.
Five body cameras were purchased with a law enforcement grant and officers have been using the cameras for about two months. The cameras record video and audio and are attached to a harness that hangs around the neck. The cameras have about two hours of storage and information is downloaded from the cameras to computers in the police department.
"The audio and visual is excellent," Lee said. "I've been very impressed with them."
Lee has been in law enforcement for 17 years and said he was not "really enthused" with body cameras when police departments first started using them. Now, he said he believes body cameras are an important tool for all officers. If he does not have his camera with him, Lee said he feels like he is missing part of his uniform.
"The main reason for having them is to protect the officer as well as the public," Lee said. "It shows everything that occurs during a stop and as an officer, you want all the evidence you can have."
In addition to body cameras, officers also have cameras inside their police vehicles.
General News on 11/25/2015