Body cameras on school police

The use of police body camera’s has become a hot topic in the wake of controversial police shootings.

The Pocatello Police Department first tested the body cameras on their resource officers.

They are still working to implement them into the force.

“Patrol officers in their cars, on the streets, have a camera in them. Our school officers, we have nothing. We might carry an audio recorder so we can record certain, things but we have no video surveillance,” said Sgt. Ralph Daniels.

Daniels said the body cameras are a good idea.

“So if I’m transporting somebody in my patrol car or I’m out doing something, that’s not recorded at all, and so for the safety for the officers, our initial thought was when they are transporting somebody, so there wasn’t an allegation or something made against them, we want something that they can start recording to help them protect themselves,” said Daniels.

The department is looking into its budget for body cameras. The goal is to have school officers wearing them by November.