Since the beginning of the 2013- 14 academic year, the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD) has implemented an important and major new technology system that many students remain unaware of. Longwood University police officers are now equipped with on-officer body cameras during every shift.
These cameras have replaced the police force’s old dash camera system as they are more cost effective and allow officers to take video footage to the next level.
According to Chief of Longwood University Police Department Bob Beach, “We’ve had video cameras in patrol cars, dash cams ... but of course that didn’t help us when you moved inside of a house or when you’re talking to people inside a building or you’re walking the street.”
These CopVu brand body cameras are equipped with both high-definition video and sound recording capabilities. Because these cameras do not run continually, the use of the cameras is left to the officers’ discretion as they have complete control of when the camera is activated and recording.
There is no need for two party consent when it comes to being recorded by these cameras. To some, this may seem a bit intrusive, but Beach stated, “There’s the expectation of privacy obviously, but as long as the officer is where he is supposed to be legally, then it should be okay. It's nothing more than what the officer's seeing."
In fact instead of potentially viewing it as an invasion of privacy, Beach chose to look at it as an opportunity for the department to become more transparent to the public.
Beach said, “One of my things that I think is very important for any police organization is to be as transparent as possible,” adding that he believes these body cameras aid in that goal.
“It’s very easy to answer complaints or concerns if you’re able to go to the video tape,” Beach said. “They’ve been useful for a number of different things like that, for trying to help people understand.”
LUPD Administrative Sergeant Ray Ostrander is in charge of overseeing the body camera program. He said, “It’s a big help when you’re prosecuting a drunk ... If you say they were staggering around or they were unsteady and the judge sees that, you know it's a lot better to see something than just to hear it."
The footage from these cameras is downloaded daily and kept on file in the department for at least 30 days.
If there is an incident or a clip that requires special attention or that may be needed for a court case, it will be filed for longer.
Beach also uses this footage to check up on his own officers. He said, “I randomly pull video tape about twice a week just to look and make sure of what officers are doing, to see what’s going on.”
Ostrander seconded Beach, stating, “We have a policy about using the cameras, and how to use the cameras and stuff. I’ll pull up the videos and Chief Beach will look at them real quick just to make sure we’re abiding by our policy.”
According to both Beach and Ostrander, the officers have been very compliant with this practice, and they have seen no issues in any of the reviewed footage.
A big concern that might arise in the minds of students is the cost of obtaining such a system and where that money came from.
According to Beach, the LUPD purchased 12 of these body cameras, and, in order to get a good camera that had the technology and the usability that Longwood was looking for, each cost around $800. The total came out to just shy of $10,000.
Beach assured that all the money that went toward buying these body cameras came directly from money granted to Longwood. This grant money came from state’s seized assets money from drug and gang- related crimes and investigations that the LUPD were directly involved with, meaning it didn’t cost the state or the students a dime.
