Father of Mesic fiancee makes plea for lapel cams

(Update)
With a coroners inquest into the police shooting of steven mesic complete, his family members went to Hamilton city hall in order to speak out in favour of lapel cameras on police officers.

They are small pieces of equipment that could make all of the difference. A camera worn by police that records the sensitive moments when officers interact with the public. Sharon Dorr will never know exactly what happened to the father of her son Dominic. So Sharon’s father Norm speaks in favour of the device they think can help in the future: “We don’t want officers to, be judged unfairly, you know, and that works both ways between the police and the public.”

During the inquest, testimony conflicted in many areas including as to what happened where the shooting took place. Only the two officers and Steve Mesic know for sure. One of the jury’s recommendations from the inquest was for police to explore the idea of lapel cameras — something that even Mayor Bob Bratina admits, seems to make sense: “I’m interested in finding out more about lapel cameras and the efficacy. You know, how it would work to benefit.”

There are examples in the U.S. where lapel cameras have produced interesting results. A 2012 project in Rialto, California gives some pretty compelling evidence. Over a one year period, they noticed an 88 percent drop in complaints against officers. And police used force nearly 60 percent less often over the same period.

Hamilton Councillor Lloyd Ferguson: “At first reaction — yes, it does makes sense.”

Police Services Board chair Lloyd Ferguson says there are unknowns that they hope to answer by the fall. Currently there are pilot projects in both Edmonton and York Region. Once those are completed, Chief Glenn De Caire is expected to present a report to the board. Dorr hopes that the report shows what he thinks could even save a life: “I think that if, that you know, if one life gets saved, then we’ve accomplished something.”

One of the area’s that they are concerned with is cost to implement a lapel camera program, those number aren’t in yet for Canada. As for the case in California, it cost about $100 thousand for 70 camera’s. But the Rialto, California chief says that it will save countless man hours of retroactive investigation of events for which they will now have a first had account.