Three towns in Palm Beach County now have body cameras for their police officers. Monday, the chief of police in Boynton Beach showed off the cameras his force will wear.
The body cameras are lightweight, long-lasting, have night vision and can store hours of audio and video. Every Boynton Beach patrol officer will be equipped with an Axon 2 Body Camera.
“It's important to know the body cameras are not a magic bullet solution, they are a tool,” said Chief Jeffrey S. Katz.
An essential tool that Katz explained will help guarantee transparency. ”We're looking forward to this program, helping to continue to bridge the gaps of trust that have been established over a period of time and to have a better working relationship with our public,” said Chief Katz.
Patrol officers will start wearing the body cameras on Thursday. All 86 officers will receive them. They will also be able to view the video using a special app on their smartphones.
“It was simple to use and we thought that was the greatest thing,” explained Capt. Joseph DeGuilio, who chose the cameras best suited for Boynton Beach patrol officers. The cameras will be worn near the center of an officer's chest, on the outer portion of the uniform, for their 11-hour shifts.
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“That camera can be used throughout the whole shift,” explained DeGuilio. “[They] don't have to worry about swapping or switching out a battery.”
All interactions between police and civilians will be stored on the cloud for 90 days unless it's used as evidence in a case.
“Ninety percent of the time our video is going to clear an officer of alleged wrong doing,” said Chief Katz.
The body cameras will cost the city half a million dollars over five years.
Other cities, including Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach, already have body cameras.
