The LOPD ordered these Taser AXON Flex body cameras for their patrol officers to wear.

Patrol officers of the Live Oak Police Department will soon be sporting Taser AXON Flex body, or “on-officer,” cameras in an effort to more clearly capture interactions between law enforcement and the public, according to Chief of Police Buddy Williams.

“We have ordered 12 Taser body cams,” said Williams. “All officers that are on patrol will be wearing body cameras. I think that this is a good tool for us to use, and it will be beneficial to show what happens on traffic stops or calls where we’re dealing with the public.”

A 2014 study performed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) argues that the body-worn cameras increase accountability and transparency between law enforcement and the public and aid with evidence documentation. Their study recognized that there are potential issues with privacy, the impact on community relationships with local law enforcement, officers’ personal concerns, managing expectations for the use of cameras, and financial considerations.

For the LOPD, the body cameras are not a new device; the department has used body cameras before during investigative situations, said Williams, but not as extensively as they will with the new Taser AXON Flex cams.

Williams explained the body cameras would not be on for the entirety of an officer’s shift, but only when they were going into a potentially confrontational situation.

“If they’re getting out to confront a suspicious person, the cameras will be on,” said Williams. “But if they’re just saying ‘hi’ to a child on the street, for example, then, no, they would not be on. The officers will be trained on when and how to use the cameras.”

The cameras were ordered during the last week of December at the cost of $13,000, and are expected to arrive within the next few weeks. Williams said there will be yearly maintenance fees attached with the body camera program, and local resident Fred Martin donated $5,000 to the LOPD for the purchase of the cameras.

The LOPD will be sending out the video recordings to an independent evidence company, which will require some additional fees as well.

“The evidence company will be responsible for maintaining videos,” Williams said. “With the company storing them, it takes out the chance for false accusations of video tampering.”

Williams stated the decision to purchase body cameras was not a “knee-jerk reaction,” but did acknowledge the national change in the public’s response towards law enforcement and government.

“There are circumstances nationwide that call into question what truly happens,” said Williams on interactions between police and the public. “A snippet of a video doesn’t tell the whole story; you need the whole video. We’re living in a time right now where the government is under a microscope. The body cameras are another tool in our toolbox; we will not be dependent on it. But video is one of the best sources of evidence and provides much clearer property and crime scene descriptions.”

Most of the models the LOPD ordered are eyeglass cameras, said Williams, but the AXON Flex comes with multiple mounting options. The Flex offers point of view recording when attached to eyeglasses or headbands, and can also be attached to collars, ball caps, helmets, epaulettes, or car dashboards. According to Taser, any recorded videos can be quickly and easily uploaded from the Flex’s docking station, which doubles as a charging station. The videos are then transferred to the LOPD’s independent evidence company, leaving no room for tampering.

Williams said the majority of his officers were excited about using the cameras, and he is excited about the possibilities that come along with the devices.

“We’re looking forward to the venture,” said Williams.