MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The good news: all Memphis Police Officers will soon have body cameras and cars will get cameras too. The bad news is despite the big announcement, it’s still going to be a while.
It’s the technology plenty have been waiting on, cameras to capture what goes on between police and the public.
Since the deadly police car wreck that killed 50-year-old Deloise Epps, her 13-year-old daughter Mackala and injured her finance on Crump Avenue in 2012, there has been a push for cameras. After several delays, police would only promise they were on the way.
We spoke with Epps’ sister this week, who said three years later, it’s still too hard to talk about the crash.
She’s happy about the cameras, saying while they won’t help her sister’s case, they will help others.
John Marek is on the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board and was one of the first to call for police body cameras.
“Unfortunately sometimes when it comes to government things move slow. We’ve been able to reason with city officials enough so now we see progress,” said Marek.
Still, police have made it clear, the cameras will be installed in phases over 5 years.
Mayor Wharton, who initially told WREG the cameras would be here by September 1, now says that was not guaranteed.
“We never promised on September 1, and I need to clarify this, that every officer would have a body camera,” he said. “This is not about simply placing the gadget on the lapel of each officer. Had that been the case we could have finished it in maybe 30 or 45 days.”
Now those pushing for the cameras want to know guidelines on how they will be used.
“Are officers gonna be able to turn off the cameras manually or is this gonna be controlled from a control center? How is data stored? Who has access to it?” said Marek.
There is still plenty to decide.
Police Director Toney Armstrong said by the end of the year they expect to have more than 2,000 cameras deployed and fully operational.