BENTONVILLE -- Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck wants body cameras for some of his deputies, but he says a lack of money could prevent that from happening.
Cradduck said the Sheriff's Office has checked on body cameras, but the cost -- at more than $1,000 a camera -- is a problem. Cradduck wants to buy good equipment and says body cameras will be an ongoing project because of cost.
"We are looking for ways to fund it," Cradduck said. "We want to try and get the highest quality cameras that we can."
Cradduck believes body cameras can help law enforcement in two ways. Cameras can clear a deputy when false allegations are levied against them. Cameras also can provide evidence if a deputy abuses his authority.
Keshia Guyll, a spokeswoman for Sheriff's Office, said 30 body cameras would be needed to outfit the patrol division. More cameras would be needed for the part-time division, but that isn't yet a priority, Guyll said.
More emphasis has been placed on law enforcement using body cameras since the police shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., last year.
The Little Flock Police Department has used body cameras for its officers for three years, Chief Jesse Martinez said.
"It's been a great asset," Martinez said. "We have seen our officers' complaints go down and so have our trials."
The cameras were purchased with a grant in November 2011, Martinez said.
"I'm a tech geek," Martinez said. "We were trying to get our department technologically better. We also improved our computers and looked at the body cameras as a benefit to see the areas that our officers needed in training."
Martinez's department is trading in older cameras for new ones that have better night vision and video quality, he said.
Other area law-enforcement agencies are talking about using body cameras in the future, but none have been purchased.
"We do not currently use body cameras," Bella Vista Police Chief Ken Farmer said. "We have discussed the issue, both internally and at the Arkansas Chief's Association. I don't have a timeline for purchase."
Lt. Derek Hudson, spokesman for the Springdale Police Department, said the department doesn't use body cameras, but the department is considering them.
Consideration isn't based on the Ferguson shooting, Hudson said.
Hudson remembers testing a body camera in 2007. The department has tried out other body cameras over the years.
"We are definitely open to the idea," Hudson said. "The future is headed that way, but there are lots of issues that need to be worked out."
Jon Simpson, Bentonville police chief, said body cameras are in the department's 2015 budget. He expects to be able to have enough cameras for the six to eight officers on each shift.
Officers will check out the body cameras at the beginning of each shift -- the same process they use for stun guns, Simpson said.
The department has $12,000 budgeted for the cameras, Simpson said. The cost ranges from $1,200 to $1,500 per camera, Simpson said.
"That will get the ball rolling," Simpson said of the initial purchase. "It allows us to test the product without fully committing to 50 cameras."
Simpson sees body cameras as another level of protection for officers.
Bentonville police will have a policy on when the cameras are turned on, Simpson said. Cameras in patrol cars automatically come on when the blue lights are turned on, Simpson said.
"It's not a good or practical idea to record an officer throughout the entire day," Simpson said.
Martinez said his officers are required to turn on their body cameras when they interact with the public, but he said there are some situations where an officer may not be able to begin recording. No one expects an officer being fired at to turn on his camera before returning fire, Martinez said.
"We expect them to make a reasonable effort to turn the cameras on," Martinez said.
Capt. Hayes Minor with the Rogers Police Department said that department has discussed body cameras, but he believes there needs to be more discussion on potential benefits and pitfalls.
Issues surrounding privacy and the state Freedom of Information Act need to be looked at, Minor said.
Dash camera video can be obtained under the FOI, but Minor wonders what would happen when an officer wears a body camera into a suspect's home.
"I'm not against them," Minor said. "There are just unrelated topics that need to be ironed out."
Cpl. Dan Montgomery with the Fayetteville Police Department said that department doesn't have body cameras, but dash cams are in each patrol car.
Bill Sadler, spokesman for Arkansas State Police, said the Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Division uses in-car cameras activated on all traffic stops. No body cameras for patrol purposes are used by State Police, he said.
There has been no discussion concerning equipping State Troopers with body cameras, Sadler said.
Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies also don't have body cameras, but Chief Deputy Jay Cantrell said the office is researching the technology.
"I suspect we will end up with them," Cantrell said. "We have lots of questions about them, and I'm sure other departments are going through the same process. There's a lot of questions to work through."
NW News on 01/04/2015