CARLISLE, Pa. - At a meeting Wednesday night Lt. Clarence "Ed" Trapp, from the Pittsburgh Borough Police Department, shared his thoughts and experience of police using body cameras, with people in Carlisle. He feels they can shutdown a lawsuit, clear a good officer, rid a bad officer and prevent a situation like the one in Ferguson.
"Sir, I just don't see how cameras being put on our police officers is going to help Carlisle at all," said one man in attendance.
"Small towns have crime. They have things that happen or they wouldn't need police officers and where you need police officers you would like to have that additional reporting tool for the officers; that additional witness that can help build trust," said Lt. Trapp after being asked if the cameras are needed in small towns.
The cameras will be paid for with a $43,000 grant. A pilot program will likely begin this summer and by the end of the year all 30 officers will be using the cameras. Now, the officers, mayor and the board are asking people to share their questions and concerns so the proper policy can be written.
"Policy has to address that the officers are trained before they are allowed to use it. It has to address at least in some form when recording should be done, shouldn't be done, what area there is discretion in," said Lt. Trapp.