Body cameras not in the near future for South Lake Tahoe Police

In light of the recent officer involved shooting in South Lake Tahoe, the discussion about body cameras being worn by local law enforcement has once again surfaced. While there has been discussion by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD), according to Lt. Brian Williams, no decisions have been made.

"A large part [of the wearing of cameras] hinges on the State as there may be regulations coming soon," said Williams. He said they have to watch out for taxpayers dollars and not spend money on a system that might not be allowed by state laws.

"The Justice system is always running behind in technology," Williams said.

California Assembly Bill 66, which would set standards for the use of police body cameras, was approved by the Assembly Committee on Public Safety in April. It has been amended three times since then in order to address more concerns surrounding the cameras.

The bill's creator, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber of San Diego, has said the primary role of body cameras is to de-escalate incidents between police and the general public, not to serve as a reference for officers as they write reports.

One of the amendments includes banning officers from reviewing the films where force had been used prior to writing their reports or when to going to court. This was a very contentious issue and one that many law enforcement agencies in California opposed.

While it may appear to be a simple process to attach a small camera to an officer's uniform, the issues that surround the film, and procedures about their use, are quite extensive.

The Bill stalled in the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. Filming of people in the case of child abuse and rape would be an invasion of privacy, but police officers may not be allowed to turn the camera off at all during their shift, including using the restroom.

Another issue about the body cameras is where to store all of the data they collect. The cameras run for 12 hour shifts for every officer and the film needs to be saved. In the case of some crimes, the film would have to be saved for 99 years. The huge amount of data may not be allowed to be stored on a cloud as well.

The body camera polices and procedures developed at the State level will not be a one-size-fits-all regulation.

Throughout the nation, policymakers are talking about rules for when a cop's camera should be turned on, where the recordings should be stored, and when — if ever — they should be shared with the public.

"There are a lot of issues with the cameras and it's not real straightforward," Williams said. "There are a lot of considerations we'll have to deal with."

Besides the policies, procedures, and regulations that would surround the use of body cameras in South Lake Tahoe, the other main issue is the cost of the systems. SLTPD will look for grants and other funding should they ever decide to use the body cameras.

"We've enjoyed a real good relationship with our community in our 29 years," said Williams. "Faith is eroding in the government across the county, the law included."