Body Cameras Gaining Traction in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY - Nov. 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Debates about whether law enforcement agencies should be equipped with body cameras are gaining steam after police tactics and several officer-involved shootings throughout the country have earned national media coverage.

Two Utah cases of police-involved shootings have been investigated using footage from body cameras attached to the officers, which were the first two cases in Utah to do so. Salt Lake City criminal defense attorney Darren Levitt (http://www.defenselawutah.com/) said body camera footage could be valuable evidence in future cases.

"In a criminal case, having sufficient evidence could make the difference between a person's freedom and unnecessary time spent behind bars," Levitt said. "This footage is a glimpse into the events that occurred, and it may be the most accurate and unbiased account an outsider could receive."

Utah Prosecutors reviewed the first 30 seconds of raw body camera footage to determine Salt Lake City police officer Bron Cruz was within his rights to fatally shoot Dillon Taylor last month. The video shows the 20-year-old repeatedly ignoring commands to show his hands as he made a motion Cruz believed looked as though he was pulling a gun from his waistband.

Currently, Utah officers have cameras in their cars, known as "dash cams." However, the cameras do not necessarily give the full context of a situation, Levitt said, and the video footage may not capture everything that occurs between an officer and a person who is being detained.

"Stationary cameras on the dash of a car only can cover a restricted area. Once the officer or the person he or she is arresting is out of view, the camera becomes void," Levitt said. "If the camera is on the officer's body, there would be clearer picture wherever he or she moves."

Levitt said the body camera footage is a vital piece of evidence for both law enforcement and citizens. The footage can protect the public from misconduct and protect officers from false accusations. The cameras can change the dynamic between the authority and the citizens, he said.

"This evidence really can hold officers and the citizens they are interacting with to a new standard," Levitt said. "Not only will officers feel more at ease with their actions, but so will the citizens. It was only a matter of time before this technology was used."

The footage is important, especially when an incident is fatal, Levitt said. However, the footage also can prove critical in other instances, such as a drug arrests or driving under the influence traffic stops.

Organizations such as the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers are working to ensure legislation is passed to require police officers who interact with the public on a regular basis. Officers who do not patrol likely would not be required to wear the devices.

Levitt said he understands it would take some adjusting to the new equipment. And, although some law enforcement agencies cannot afford the cameras, the investment could mean long-term time-saving benefits.

Darren Levitt is a trial attorney, founder and manager of the law firm Levitt Legal, PLLC in Salt Lake City, Utah. Darren received his bachelor's degree in environmental science from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and his juris doctor from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. He was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Maryland.