Detroit Police Department to Equip Officers with Body Cams

The Detroit Police Department is working to increase transparency by recording all officer interactions. Detroit Police Chief James Craig announced plans today to equip every patrol car with dashboard cameras and special unit officers with body cameras. He says the department is building an integrated system between the two devices.

“We look the in-car video that a number of police departments across the country have—you just have front view and that’s it. When an officer exits the vehicle and he has a contact with someone from the community, you can hear the voice but you don’t have the image and so we have the opportunity to get the entire contact video.”

-James Craig, Detroit police chief

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says the dashboard and body camera project will take three years to complete. Duggan says implementation of the technology is expected to cost the city about $3 million.