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Local police praise body camera use
More than a year after beginning the use of body cameras in their agencies, six local police departments are giving rave reviews to the technology that has now become a part of their everyday routine.
Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter first announced the body camera program in late 2014, with plans to purchase cameras for each of the county's six municipal law enforcement agencies -- Greencastle, Cloverdale, Fillmore, Roachdale, Bainbridge and Russellville.
Representatives from four of these agencies met with Bookwalter and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Justin Long on Tuesday afternoon, and the discussion was overwhelmingly positive.
"I haven't found a reason to not have my body cameras," Cloverdale Town Marshal Mike Clark said. "I can't imagine going back to not having them."
In light of incidents of police brutality and alleged police brutality across the nation, body cameras have become a hot button issue in recent years. While arguments have been made for and against the use of the cameras, the officers in Tuesday's meeting were focused on the upside.
Clark mentioned how they have curbed complaints against officers. When he gets complaints, the marshal said he listens to the complaint before saying, "Let me check the camera."
The response generally runs something like, "Camera? Just forget it."
Greencastle Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins added that the cameras also ensure that officers are on their best behavior and operating according to protocol.
"It holds us more accountable," Hopkins said. "When I have it rolling, I really watch what I say."
In the 14 or so months the cameras have been used, perhaps the most compelling argument for them came in the form of the Sept. 23, 2015 demonstration and ensuing disturbance at DePauw University.
In that incident, a church from Terre Haute that practices what it calls "confrontational evangelism" was protesting on the sidewalk at the corner of Locust and Hanna streets.
The situation swelled from a few students observing the demonstrators to several hundred members of the DePauw community observing, counter-protesting and growing more agitated.
In the end, two students and one staff member were forcibly removed by Greencastle police officers, with two young men taken to the ground in an effort to detain them.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, accusations of police brutality were made both on campus and even in The DePauw student newspaper.
Hopkins said when the footage of body cameras was reviewed, it confirmed that officers had handled the situation properly.
"Without these cameras, there's a good possibility this would have gone a much different direction," Hopkins said. "We could be facing lawsuits."
Reviewing some of the footage with his fellow officers, Hopkins pointed out some of the points at which the footage was helpful, particularly in the crowd that gathered that day.
"This is where body cameras come in handy," Hopkins said at one point. "You get so many people, you don't know who's who or who's what. You can go back and watch the video and know exactly who everybody is."
Outside authorities apparently agreed with the assessment of no wrongdoing by GPD. On Monday, the independent review committee (IRC) DePauw appointed to examine the Sept. 23 incident said GPD followed proper procedure.
On the question of the appropriateness of the use of force, the IRC said in part "the Greencastle Police Department action it taking down and retaining the individuals who became physical did not appear to be in violation of any Greencastle Police Department policy."
The prosecutor agreed that the incident showed the value of the cameras, and also talked about the departments being ahead of the curve in terms of House Bill 1019, a body cameras bill sponsored by Sen. Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) who represents part of Putnam County in the state senate.
The bill passed both houses and awaits the signature of Gov. Mike Pence before becoming law.
Bookwalter pointed out that local procedures meet or exceed the provisions set for in the bill, such as the requirement to retain all video for at least 190 days. Local protocol has been to keep it for a full year.
"My suggestion is to deviate somewhat and call it a year," Bookwalter said.
The officers concurred, expressing strong desires to continue the use of the cameras.
"There are too many instances that it will protect you," Clark added.
"I see no reason we shouldn't be doing this," Bookwalter said.