Body cam bills ready for floor votes

A Florida Senate committee Wednesday approved guidelines for police departments that equip their officers with body cameras. The proposal by Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, requires agencies to develop policies regarding the training of officers, privacy rules and storage of the videos.

“Right now some agencies don’t have any rules or procedures when it comes to body cameras,” Smith explained in previous committee stops. “We will have rules in place and we will know how those rules are being used in each jurisdiction.”

The proposal has the backing of police chiefs and sheriffs associations and the Police Benevolent Association, a police union.  A study last fall by the Florida Police Chiefs Association found out of 301 departments statewide, 18 were using body cameras and another 10 were conducting pilot programs with the devices.

A similar proposal cleared the House last year but died when the lawmakers adjourned the session three days early.

On Wednesday, no one spoke against the proposal and Smith waived making a closing argument.

The cameras attached to the officer’s uniform record interactions with citizens.  Proponents say they have a “civilizing” effect on both the public and law enforcement, curbing allegations of police brutality and the filing of false reports of police abuse.

A 2014 study of body cams and the Orlando Police Department by the University of South Florida found when officers were equipped with the cameras there was a 65 percent drop in the number of complaints filed against officers and a 53 percent drop in the number of incidents in which officers used force.

In 2015, the Legislature approved exempting body-cam recordings made in a home, hospital or where privacy is reasonably expected from the public records law.

Smith’s proposal is now ready for a Senate vote. Its House companion also is also awaiting a floor vote.

Contact James Call at jcall@tallahassee.com and follow on Twitter @CallTallahassee.