Police Chief Mike Heehan of SLMPSD

Our program on April 4^th was presented by Chief Mike Meehan. He is the current chief of our local police force. His topic was the advent of the body camera for policemen.

At present, the patrol cars all have cameras mounted on the dash, and he has found that the use of cameras has changed the dynamic of the traffic stop. The behavior of members of the public improves when they know they’re being recorded (Fact quoted by the chief: Every one’s image in the US is captured 75 times a day on average by security cameras).

 

There are a mountain of legal issues involved in use of the cameras, and the release of the information obtained. Three other issues are the cost of the systems (the SLMPD has financial reserves enough to buy the system for their officers), storage of the information (cost of media and where to keep the data), and their system has to be compatible with the 80-plus police departments in Hennepin County.

Chief Meehan expects to have body cams installed and operating by the summer of 2018.