Fulton County Schools Police Officers utilize body cameras to enhance student safety

“These camera systems are becoming part of all police officers’ standard uniform, including those of the FCS School Police Department, similar to the way body armor/vests and other safety equipment are now standard issue,” said a release.

Every officer in every Fulton County School will be equipped with a body camera.

“A total of 75 were ordered, 60 have been assigned to officers and the remaining have gone to administrative police staff, our police chief, captains, lieutenants, as well as for surplus in the event of damage.”

Each system cost is approximately $410 and funded by the district’s Safety and Security budget.

Distribution of body cameras began in July to approximately 40 officers, with the remaining 20 officers receiving their new equipment the week of Aug. 6 and being trained in their operation.

The first groups of school officers were equipped with body cameras on Aug. 2 and received training, lead by FCS Lieutenant Darrell McDaniel.

Lt. McDaniel sited his involvement in “the research on the body cameras” and “the policy that was written for our department” for being selected to lead the training session.

He presented “a short PowerPoint presentation, hands on exercises, and a brief Q and A session.”

The cameras are “designed to assist and complement the officers in the performance of their duties with a visual or audio recording of certain activities.”

When clarifying, “certain activities,” included, but was not limited to “fights and disruptions; aggressive suspect behavior; suspicious person encounters; arrests; interviews, if recording is deemed appropriate; execution of a search warrant and documentation of crime scenes.”

“Officers should capture criminal activity on the camera, but as school police officers there are a number of other duties we perform that the camera can be useful for,” said McDaniel, who sited capturing traffic concerns on campuses or unruly behavior of patrons at school events as some examples.

McDaniel highlighted the “multi-function capabilities” as “the most important function of the camera.”

“The camera can record video, audio, take photos, it is water proof, and has a night vision function,” he said.

Cameras are easily activated and according to McDaniel, “each officer has been issued two batteries to ensure they can have the camera in the power on option while on duty.”

Each battery has a six hour lifespan, allowing an officer to have the camera on for up to 12 hours.

By equipping school officers with the cameras, the goal of recordings is “to provide transparency and to provide accurate documentation of events, actions, conditions and statements made during critical incidents and arrests.”

Recordings are also intended to provide “an unbiased audio/video record” and “supplement an officer’s written report.”

FCS School Police Department’s “ability to review evidence for investigation purposes and for probable cause in making arrests,” is aimed to improve by utilizing the cameras.

More information is available at https://bit.ly/2MyI8cL.