San Jose, police union agreement clears way for body cameras on officers within next year
Source: San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE -- After months of talks, the city and the police union have agreed on a policy that clears the way for San Jose police officers to be outfitted with body-worn cameras within the next fiscal year, officials announced Thursday.
The policy hammered out by officials with the city and the San Jose Police Officers' Association centered on privacy rights for officers as well as victims, witnesses and bystanders to police activity.
"The agreement on a policy to govern how body-worn cameras are implemented was the last obstacle standing in the way of bringing additional transparency onto the exceptional work performed by San Jose police officers," union President Sgt. Paul Kelly said in a statement. "We look forward to a swift implementation of this important technology."
Body cameras have been part of a national conversation about improving trust between police and communities in the wake of several high-profile deaths of people of color at the hands of police.
Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_28119503/san-jose-police-union-agreement-clears-way-body