SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department has announced that it will test the use of body cameras on its officers following an excessive force accusation earlier this year.
Back in April, Justin Palmer, an African-American and father of four, claimed that he was wrongfully arrested at Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica while attempting to charge his electric vehicle.
Authorities approached Palmer to inform him that it was after the park’s closing hours, something he disputed with them.
When Palmer denied the officers’ request to produce identification, he was handcuffed and knocked to the ground when he lost consciousness.An eyewitness reported seeing the officers punching Palmer several more times once he was already restrained on the ground.
After sustaining various injuries from the incident, he received support from the Santa Monica NAACP chapter and filed a lawsuit against the police department. The suit is said to be in the “middle of litigation”, according to the SMPD.
One-third of all police departments across the country are reported to use body cameras on some portion of their police force.
For the Santa Monica Police Department, the use of body cameras is a pilot program where all officers will not be required to where the devices. Ltn. Richard Lewis of the SMPD declined to elaborate on exactly which officers on their force will be chosen for use of the special technology, but did state that it will be a “diverse” portion.
The testing will be monitored by researchers at CSU Fullerton, who will then determine how successful the trial for the department is.
President Obama has acknowledged the use of body cameras, along with additional police training as part of a reform package to curtail the cases of excessive police force.
