MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In a letter to Mayor A C Wharton, dated October 1, the District Attorney’s Office asked for more time to properly prepare for what she called,” the expedited roll-out of the body and dash cameras for the Memphis Police Department.”
In the letter, District Attorney Amy Weirich said while she fully supports the use of body cameras throughout the Police force, there are some major issues still to be sorted out with their implementation.
She pointed out that under Tennessee law, the D.A’s office is responsible for knowing everything that officers know, including what is one the dash and body cameras. Also, under discovery laws that information must be handed over to a defense attorney in the case of a trial.
“It is these duties and responsibilities that cause us concern with the impending use of the cameras,” she wrote. “This new technology will have a huge impact on our office, and, quite frankly, we have not been provided the opportunity to adequately prepare,” she said.
According to the letter, Weirich set up a meeting several months ago with the MPD on the topic and was assured her office wouldn’t be left out of the loop when it came to the body cameras. At that time, she wasn’t even aware the Department would be implementing dash cameras at all.
No other meetings were held on the topic until September when the D.A’s Office learned through the media officers would be implementing the cameras in October.
That’s when she went to the MPD, demanding another meeting.
“I mentioned to Director Armstrong on September 21, 2015, that our office needed to reconnect quickly and continue the conversation. He advised there was a press conference scheduled for September 23, 2015, which made the need even more urgent,” Weirich wrote.
That September 23 meeting as well as a recent training session held at the MPD Academy on the use of the cameras has Weirich convinced her office needs more time to prepare.
“I will have to create a system for ensuring that every video from every arrest is properly maintained, stored, viewed by us and provided for defense. These tasks will take time,” she wrote.
Earlier this week, Mayor A C Wharton told WREG there is no current timetable for when officers will be wearing the body cameras.
