DC police watchdog: officers should wear cameras

WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia’s police accountability agency agrees with Chief Cathy Lanier’s proposal that officers wear cameras while on duty to record their interactions with citizens.

Lanier said earlier this year that the department planned to start using the cameras to “establish a record of police conduct.”

On Thursday, the Office of Police Complaints submitted a report to Lanier and Mayor Vincent Gray with recommendations about how to develop an on-body camera program.

The agency says if officers wear cameras, the videos could be used to resolve many citizen complaints and train officers on proper procedures.

A handful of police departments around the country have started outfitting officers with cameras. Overseas, some officers in London began wearing cameras just this week as part of a pilot program.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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