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Body-worn cameras led to 44 internal investigations, according to CMPD

By Mark Becker, wsoctv.com
By Mark Becker, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police in Charlotte said that body-worn cameras led to 44 internal investigations that might not have happened without the video evidence to support them.

CMPD invested $7 million in body cameras that were issued to officers in April 2015 to enhance credibility and accountability in the community.

“It's paying dividends,” said Chief Kerr Putney, as he went over the analysis of their internal investigations before and after body cameras were issued.

In 2014, the final year before body cameras were issued, video from other sources was used in 391 internal investigations.

In 2016, that number, including body camera video, jumped to 474.

In cases specifically involving allegations of officers misusing force, the number jumped from 155 in 2014 to 200 in 2016.

Putney said that 44 cases were investigated primarily because of video evidence from body cameras.

“We would have had no other evidence really to support the allegation but for body worn cameras,” Putney said.

That brought cautious praise from Corine Mack, head of Charlotte’s NAACP.

“That’s positive,” Mack said.

But she also said there is a long way to go to build complete trust between police and many in the black and Latino communities.

“Folk are still not coming forward for fear of retaliation. We're having a major problem with that," Mack said.

That may be one reason police are asking for more body-worn cameras to issue to officers on tactical units, like the one involved in the Keith Lamont Scott shooting, and all officers working off duty.

“It's going to have to be done I think, because even off duty you come into contact with so much,” said Sgt. Todd Walther, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police.

Police plan to use $200,000 from the Police Foundation and another $400,000 left over from the original budget for cameras to pay for the extra 600 cameras.

He said that it will take several months to get those extra body cameras in service.

Putney said it is all about gaining the community’s trust.

“In these days and times, trust is shaky sometimes so this enhances our ability to show people that the things that we say are based on facts,” Putney said.

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