Steve Burns
WMAL.com
BALTIMORE (WMAL) – Baltimore is set to start the trial period for its police body camera program next month, set to debut in the neighborhood of West Baltimore, where Freddie Gray was taken into custody before he was ultimately found unresponsive in the back of a police van.
“By starting this video body camera pilot program in Freddie’s neighborhood, she honors Freddie’s memory,” William Murphy, the Gray family attorney, said. “That memory, we hope, and these cameras, we hope, will prevent future tragic interactions between the police and their citizens.”
He said the pilot program will aim to determine best practices on policy and equipment.
“They’ll determine which state-of-the-art camera system and practices in terms of regulating the on-and-off switch will work the best,” Murphy said. “Knowing that police interactions with the public are recorded will exert, what we believe, a calming effect on the community, because both sides are currently suspicious of the other.”
“This is a big deal for the Gray family, and will be a healing force for them and the community.”
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