During a voluntary search of a University of Iowa (UI) student’s dorm room in 2007, UI police officers were abruptly asked to leave. They did, and the student called the UI Public Safety Department a short time later to complain.
She accused the officers of being crooked and of planting drugs in her room. A UI official told the student that, fortunately, there was a quick way to find out. The accused officer at the time was experimenting with a body-worn video camera.
“Let’s check the video,” the staff member suggested.
The student “hung up,” according to UI police Officer Alton Poole. “The video cameras really clear up complaints quickly.”
Poole launched an initiative six years ago to get himself and his colleagues in the UI police force equipped with video cameras on their uniforms. He spent his own money to experiment with different systems.
Earlier this year, the public safety department got on board with Poole’s ideas and bought body-worn video cameras for its 45 police officers and 18 security personnel. The cameras, about the size of a pager, can be clipped to uniform lapels and turned on and off with just a slide of the camera lens cover.
“The video gives an unbiased view from an officer’s perspective,” Poole said.
Today, the entire UI police force is wearing the cameras, including the last of the security personnel who were outfitted with the technology this month, said David Visin, associate director of the department.
“It took some time to figure out the right system and talk to vendors about our needs,” Visin said.
Each camera, made by technology company Vievu, costs $899, and Visin said it’s been money well spent.
“We believe they have paid for themselves in reducing court time for officers because of the great evidence they provide, as well as greatly reducing administrative investigative time and cost when dealing with officer complaints,” Visin said.
The UI department is the only agency in the area that has all of its officers wearing uniform cameras. Most departments, including the UI police force, have video equipment installed in their squad cars with audio equipment attached to the officers for when they leave their vehicles.
Visin said the need for body-worn video cameras by UI police officers is greater than the typical municipal agency, because of the number of events they handle that require officers to patrol on foot rather than with a car.
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