Anaheim Latest Police Agency to Test Body Cameras

Anaheim police say they are testing out body cameras to record encounters between police and the public

It's not exactly Robo Cop, but it's close.

With the push of a button Anaheim's police officers may soon be recording audio and video of everyone they contact in the field.

The body worn system has been tested for a year and a half. Authorities say it's designed for transparency on patrol.

Oftentimes a suspect will turn violent, but if they know they're being recorded it de-escalates without deploying force, Lt. Bob Dunn, a spokesman with the Anaheim Police Department, said.

A video shows what the camera sees, a chest-level point of view showing what an officer faces.

One video shows a confrontation with an officer in Daytona Beach, Florida, last November. Former NFL player Jermaine Green was allegedly trying to stab a woman when he was confronted by police.

On the camera, you hear their warning, then police open fire.

In Anaheim, police admit all technology has its limitations.

They expect to use the camera just as they use their digital audio recorders now.

It's evidence, just like a 911 call or an audio recording, Dunn said.

But first the department needs $1.1 million to buy the cameras and set up the system in its 200 patrol units.

If the council approves the funding, the cameras could be on the street by next April.

Police call it emerging technology, another way to record what happens as it happens.

Rialto and the Los Angeles Police Department have been among the police agencies in Southern California also testing out the equipment.

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