For anyone who believes body cameras will be a panacea for the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) or any other law enforcement agency, think again.
That’s not to say they might not be helpful. The 250 collar-worn devices that were recently approved for purchase by the City Council for patrol officers and investigators can and should be a useful tool.
But technology can malfunction, people are fallible and critical things can happen outside camera range. Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher, for instance, told the City Council a body camera might not remain attached during “a lively physical encounter.”
“That’s not misconduct or malfeasance,” he said. “That’s just the nature of physics and the reality of the struggle. That doesn’t mean the officer did anything deliberate.”
The unpredictability is what is troubling about a recent poll by icitizen, a Nashville polling agency, and the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government that found nine of 10 Volunteer State respondents support the release of body camera footage. Clearly, the nine don’t have any idea what they’re asking.