The Dallas Police Department is currently working to implement body cameras to be worn by officers in Dallas ISD schools. The department will also be installing cameras in all squad cars and audio recording.
According to the department, utilizing this type of technology out in the field will help increase transparency when it comes to officers and their interactions with students.
“This will allow us to be more transparent as an organization for the purpose of collecting evidence,” Dallas ISD Police Chief John Lawton stated. “Evidentiary purposes, it will help us there. Pictures are worth a thousand words. In this case, videos are worth a thousand words.”
Currently, Dallas schools are using cameras inside and outside on their premises. But Dallas police officers do not have cameras showcasing their point of view or within their vehicles.
“Between August 1st of this year and October 1st of this year, gun-related incidents on campuses across the country are standing at 97, where, during the same period in 2019, they were standing at 29,” School Security Consultant, Craig Miller, said.
While speaking with Fox 4 News, Miller also pointed out that in many cases, a student who plans to bring a gun to school confides in one of their peers. Recording video and audio of officers working with students can help clarify a potential situation involving violence on campus.
Chief Lawton hopes the new protocol, which will be rolled out following training for all officers, will keep everyone honest.
“One good thing about it, it helps when we get out in our community,” Lawton said. “It keeps our citizens honest, it keeps our police honest, and so, I think there’s a good balance there.”