LAPD becomes first major police force to equip all officers with body cameras

The Los Angeles Police Department will become the first major American law enforcement agency to outfit its entire 7,000-member force with body cameras, the Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Tuesday. LA will buy 2,000 cameras, starting with 800 in January.

At a news conference to outline his plans to implement funding for the equipment in the 2015-2016 budget, Garcetti said the cameras “are not a panacea, but they are a critical part of the formula. They’re a great step forward.”

The purchase of the initial 800 Taser body cameras will be funded by more than $1.5 million in private donations, Gizmodo reported. Policies on proper use of the cameras will be considered in early 2015, while the device rollout will happen within the next six months, the mayor’s office said. The remainder of the equipment will be fully deployed by June 2016 and paid for out of the city’s budget.

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