COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Monday night, members of the College Station City Council approved three contracts for Tasers and body cameras for the College Station Police department (CSPD).
The city council's decision comes just months after police across the country have been facing scrutiny over alleged police brutality.
Although timing of the decision may seem like a coincidence, KAGS HD News explains how the College Station police department is simply aiming to keep up with technology and increase transparency.
A body camera is able to see exactly what a police officer encounters.
College Station resident, Chandler Meadows things the decision to equip officers will increase citizen’s confidence in local police departments.
"I think it's beneficial because if you come into incidences where you want to know exactly what happened, at least it’s on camera,” Chandler said.
The College Station police department will soon receive body cameras as part of Monday's unanimous city council decision to approve 15 body cameras, which is a first for the city along with 22 additional Tasers.
"This is just another example of as technology develops, we evaluate it and we make a determination on whether it will help us to better perform our duties,” added Lt.Chuck Fleeger with the College Station police department.
CSPD will first equip bicycle and motorcycle officers with the new cameras since they have more interaction with the public and aren’t driving patrol cars, which already have cameras inside.
To most it's an overall good decision, but for College Station resident, Gabrielle Harrison, there is still room for scrutiny.
"You could always alter it so it can be to benefit the police and not the person they did it against,” Harrison said. “There could be some verifications and they could alter it.”
The decision to equip officers with body cameras comes just months after police across the country have been facing scrutiny over alleged police brutality.
Although true, the city of College Station maintains their decision was solely based on transparency.
"It's another tool to help bolster that confidence and that trust level in our police department and in police departments across the country,” Lt.Fleeger added.
"It’s better to back yourself up with evidence,” Meadows said. “If you have proof, the camera is going to help you."
The city is hoping to have the cameras on officers as early as four to six weeks from today.
It is an effort the police department hopes will aid in the need for transparency.
College station police also say it will take several weeks for the officers to be properly trained to use the cameras.
As with all technology, there will be a learning curve, but the police department is hopeful the cameras will prove to be beneficial.
