Report says Detroit has little to show for its police car camera system
Published: October 13, 2009
DETROIT — A newspaper says Detroit police have little to show for at least $18.5 million spent since 2001 to equip patrol cars with video cameras.
The cameras are supposed to record traffic stops and arrests. Officials say cameras help build criminal cases while fending off unwarranted lawsuits.
A 2003 agreement ordered in-car cameras to help settle U.S. Justice Department lawsuits over police brutality and other civil rights violations.
The Detroit News reported Tuesday that internal documents show the in-car cameras work less than 17 percent of the time. The newspaper says records show several questionable purchase decisions leading to the failure.
Police Chief Warren Evans says he’ll announce plans Tuesday for a big fix to the “long-troubled” system.
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Reader Reactions
Keep in mind, Having “Something to show” for it is not the ONLY issue here. How many innocent people are NOT burdening the state’s prison system because of it?
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