Law enforcement officers across the Flathead Valley could soon be wearing video cameras that record every interaction they have with the public.
Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said that outfitting deputies with body cameras is part of an ongoing national trend that helps law enforcement be more transparent with the public.
“It’s not going to be long until body cameras will become the national standard and frankly it just makes sense,” Curry said.
Body-worn cameras have gained public support in recent months following a series of high-profile police shootings, including the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri last August. In Montana, Rep. Bridget Smith (D-Wolf Point) introduced legislation during the 2015 session that would have created a committee to study outfitting officers across the state with body cameras but the bill was tabled in March.
Curry said that his department has been considering buying body cameras for the last few months and has even tested some models. He said the body cameras cost anywhere from $50 to $600, but the biggest expense is not the camera itself but storing all of the footage. He said some camera makers offer cloud or server storage and that those costs must be taken into consideration before the department purchases the cameras.
Some of the cameras are not much larger than a pager and can clip on to the front of an officer’s shirt.
“It doesn’t take long to wear it and not even notice that it’s there,” Curry said.
Curry said there are numerous reasons why the body cameras would be beneficial to the department and the public. He said footage of any interaction could help clear up any claims made against officers and could also be used as evidence in court cases. He said some officers already wear cameras that they purchased themselves.
In the coming months, the sheriff’s office will continue to study the different types of cameras as well as other departments’ policies about how long to store footage. Curry said he expects every deputy within the patrol division to have a body camera within the next six months.
Other law enforcement agencies in the Flathead are also considering purchasing cameras, including the Kalispell Police Department. Chief Roger Nasset said his department has tried out a few different cameras but hasn’t yet determined if and when it will purchase a system. He said it could cost upwards of $15,000 to purchase all of the cameras and a video storage system. He is hopeful that the state will offer financial help to local departments. The sheriff’s office recently received an $11,000 grant from the Montana Department of Transportation for technology improvements and Curry said some of those funds would go toward buying cameras.
“These cameras will help us be more transparent with the public,” Curry said.