LOS ANGELES—In the wake of recent controversy concerning alleged police brutality and the killing of unarmed suspects, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Tuesday, December 16, that the city of Los Angeles has purchased 7,000 body cameras for officers of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The employment of body cameras has been one of the chief arguments emerging from the national debate over police brutality, as President Barrack Obama recently dedicated $263 million of federal funds in the name of officer training and the purchase of body cameras.
“These cameras will help law enforcement and the public alike find the truth,” Garcetti said. “And truth is essential to the trust between the LAPD and the community, which has been a key factor in lower crime to record lows.”
Steve Soboroff, the President of the Police Commission viewed the purchase as a major victory for a city that has witnessed increased tension between the public and police following the widely-publicized stories of the killing of unarmed men such as Eric Garner and Michael Brown.
“There are more and more advantages of having cameras than we’ve ever thought,” Soboroff said. “It’s music to the ears of the LAPD and law enforcement and the community.”
