The Las Cruces Police Department has been using body cameras on a limited basis since 2012. An expansion of the program this June will outfit more than half of uniformed offices with the cameras.
In December 2014 Ross Flynn was taken into police custody on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a police officer and resisting or obstructing a police officer.
Cell footage shows Flynn with his arms handcuffed behind his back repeatedly being dragged, kneed and thrown into the cell’s concrete walls and floor by two former Las Cruces police officers.
Following the release of the cell footage, the prisoner Flynn filed a $12 million dollar lawsuit against the City of Las Cruces.
And a Las Cruces police department investigation found the two officers involved violated internal policies and procedures and they were let go.
Las Cruces Police Department Deputy Chief Justin Dunivan says the internal cell footage did inform that investigation, but it was not the catalyst for the recent expansion of the use of body cameras.
“Our overall goal is to make sure that we are accountable for our action and that we are transparent as an agency. Overall the implementation of this camera program will do diligence to the community in upholding that trust” Dunivan says.
So will Las Cruces residents be more trusting of police, knowing that many of their interactions with the public will be recorded?
"I trust them anyway, but I think it would make me more, I don't know feel more secure about it"
says Darlene Rice
"Yes, I think so. When I heard what they were getting I thought it was a very good idea' says Dean Ayers.
"What is going to happen is they are going to have "Malfunctions" where the cop beats somebody illegally, the thing doesn't work all of a sudden. That has been going on for about 40 years now
Henry Myer says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEO0CBtPANA&feature=youtu.be
The policy expansion will take the number of officers wearing cameras from 15 to 72.
Dunivan oversees the program and he says storage limits and expenses mean that not all Las Cruces police officers’ interactions can be recorded.
The new policy expands the use of the cameras requiring recording during all arrests until a prisoner is secured in a vehicle, anytime the potential for use of force exists, and during custodial interrogations. The new policy also continues the use of the cameras during domestic disputes and police interactions with mentally ill residents.
“The first priority in regards to the department was to protect the officer and reduce the overall liability to the department and increase the accountability and transparency within our community’ Dunivan says.
In some cases of alleged excessive force that have garnered national attention, officers did not have their cameras on and recording. Dunivan says routine checks will ensure officers are recording when required. And not doing so could lead to disciplinary action.
“We have to ensure that as we do our uniform inspections and vehicle inspections, that we review cameras, just as we would all our other equipment as well’
Dunivan says the Las Cruces Police camera policy was modeled on policies at the Las Vegas, Nevada and Rialto, California police departments. In 2013, the Rialto Police department recorded a 50% drop in the number of use of force incidents and a more than 87% drop in complaints with the outfitting of police cameras.
The city of Las Cruces spent more than $625 thousand dollars settling police misconduct claims over the last 4 years- almost double the $320,000 it is costing to outfit the 72 Las Cruces police officers.
Dunivan says even with their limited use the past year, cameras have more than proven their value, especially in verifying the legitimacy of complaints made against officers.
“The benefit for them for evidentiary purposes for criminal and or for potential complaints that they had the option to turn those on and utilize those later on”
Dunivan says.
The Las Cruces Police Department has been using police body cameras since 2012, but only on traffic officers, patrol officers will be outfitted for the first time this year.
“The patrol section for the most part is the section that comes into the most contact – with the civilians and citizens of our community- is regards – regarding domestics, arrests – primarily deals with proactive initiatives and reactive initiative.” Dunivan says.
Dunivan says with expected federal money and other sources of funding, the Las Cruces police department intends to have every uniformed and commissioned officer in the department equipped with body cameras within 2 years.
A poll conducted by USA Today and the Pew Research Center found 87 percent of people think police body cameras are a good idea. But Dunivan maintains cameras are no silver bullet, but may enhance community trust in the department.
