Sauk Rapids Police Chief Wants Body Cameras for His Department
SAUK RAPIDS -- Sauk Rapids could be the next local police department to start using body cameras. Police Chief Perry Beise says they are starting the process now and he's hoping to have them fully implemented by late spring.
Beise says, for the most part, the officers are looking forward to having the body cameras.
It doesn't always capture everything, the body cameras could be focused in one direction, while what the officer has to react to is off to his right or left. But, the more evidence that we have I believe it will show the officers are generally doing the right thing.
Beise says a lot of the rules on the use of the video obtained by the cameras has been set by the state legislature.
They've told us how long we can keep things and who does and does not have access to it. So, if you're not a party in the video you really don't have access to it, you only have access to that portion of the video that you're in.
It is expected to cost the city $20,000 to buy 18 cameras.
The first step is to hold a public meeting for the community to ask questions, which is this Monday at 5:00 p.m. at the Sauk Rapids Government Center.
The city council could give their approval after a public hearing on February 10th.
The Waite Park Police Department and the Benton County Sheriff's Office already have body cameras here in the St. Cloud Metro Area.