The idea to install cameras in Fort Lauderdale police cruisers didn't fall out of the clear, blue sky. Residents demanded them in 2007, after four suspects were killed in police shootings and complaints of excessive police force and racial profiling increased.
Now Fort Lauderdale city commissioners are considering abandoning the dash-cam program in light of the budget crisis. But that would be an unwise decision that could eventually bring back suspicion and friction between the police and the community.
These are tough economic times, yes. But the city has already spent $760,000 on the equipment, and has another $400,000 allocated by the federal government for the cameras. The city also spent $1.5 million on laptops needed to operate the devices. To change course now would mean the federal money would have to be returned and the city would bear a "nonrecoverable loss" of at least $1.16 million.
It would be better to spend the additional $1.2 million to complete the project. If that becomes financially unfeasible, it would make more sense to move forward with scaled back plans, rather than writing off the whole program and the previous expenses.
The equipment becomes even more crucial when you consider that not one Fort Lauderdale police officer has been disciplined due to citizens' complaints of brutality in about eight years. A Sun Sentinel review of city records found that many complaints were filed, but they were all thrown out by investigators or closed because citizens didn't follow up. Many weren't fully investigated, according to the report.
Is the public really to believe all those citizens' complaints were invalid?
Such one-sided results only compromise public trust. Cameras are not perfect, but they provide some documentation of police-community interactions. The devices can also be a defense against unfair brutality charges brought against police.
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Other Information: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/fort_lauderdale/sfl-policecar-videocameras-b0506sbmay06,0,4183812.story
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