Deadly police shooting prompts calls for body cameras

Calls come after man is shot and killed by police in South Carolina

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Why aren't body cameras as easy to install in Jacksonville as they apparently will be in South Carolina?

It's one of the big questions coming out of the police shooting that killed a man and led to the officer's arrest for murder.

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Since then, authorities in North Charleston are saying they will implement body cameras with more than a hundred officers. 

A bystander's video brought the killing into the light and many people wonder what would have happened if no video existed from the confrontation.

"The gentleman who took the video. You sir, are a hero. This community and country owes you a great deal," Rep. Cezar McKnight of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus said.

While the officer rolls out his defense, his explanation of what happened and why he fired eight times at Scott, the city's mayor revealed he would act quickly and put cameras on officers.

"We received a grant to purchase 101 body cameras. Every officer that's on the street will have a body camera," North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, said.

A Jacksonville man showed News4Jax a body camera specifically sold to law enforcement and thinks the cameras are a relatively inexpensive option. He also thinks they could be subsidized outside of a city's budget.

Jacksonville's sheriff says it's not going to happen with the magic wand of free cameras. Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford recently told News4Jax that his concerns go beyond the dollars and cents.

"We're going to come in with a camera, record everything going on in your home, then when we drive off, your neighbor can call in and say, "Hey, I want the video from that call." They want to see what's going on in that house. They have no right, they should have no right to that. I'm worried about the privacy," Rutherford said.

Local attorney Cord Byrd tells News4JAX that cameras may be the right idea but legally, there are some concerns.

"In theory, I support the ideas of the cameras because I think they will protect both the officers and the citizens but we've got a long way to go to figure out the legal ramifications and the privacy concerns," Byrd said.
 


About the Author

Kent Justice co-anchors News4Jax's 5 p.m., 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts weeknights and reports on government and politics. He also hosts "This Week in Jacksonville," Channel 4's hot topics and politics public affairs show each Sunday morning at 9 a.m.

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