GAINESVILLE - On Monday, the Obama administration proposed a $263 million plan that would provide body cameras and training for law enforcement officers across the country. The White House request came in light of the shooting of black teen Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.<br />
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Most police departments, including those in smaller jurisdictions, have cameras inside patrol cars, but not many are able to equip their officers with body cameras because the devices are so pricey; the White House is hoping to remove that obstacle.<br />
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The exception to the rule in north Georgia are the police departments in Gainesville, Flowery Branch and Oakwood, all located in Hall County.<br />
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"This is nothing the new for the Gainesville Police Department," said Cpl. Kevin Holbrook. "We've been looking at this program for well over a year now, pretty much since the body cameras began coming out onto the market."<br />
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In January, the city used grant money to purchase 10 body cameras from Digital Ally at a cost of $995 each.<br />
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"We have an additional 12 cameras coming in approximately two weeks," said Holbrook.<br />
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Even though the cameras are expensive, and technology changes rapidly, Holbrook said these cameras should be useful to Gainesville PD for several years.<br />
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"The cameras actually work with the cameras inside the police vehicles and vice- versa. We wanted a camera that would pretty much last the lifetime of our vehicles. We typically try to get between five and seven years out of a vehicle."<br />
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Of course, the goal of using the body cameras is to capture interaction between officers and public. Holbrook said the cameras not only keep the officers accountable, but also provide valuable information about suspects. He said the cameras have been most helpful in court hearings.<br />
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"The officers seem to enjoy using them - it makes their job much easier," said Holbrook. "When it comes time to explain their side of the story [in court], it's very easy for them to work with the prosecutors and to show that tape, that video in court."<br />
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Flowery Branch Police Chief David Spillers noted that his department has paired body cameras for officers with in-vehicle cameras for about two years.<br />
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"We could not afford to purchase the expensive models but believed the use of dual recording devices to be critically important," said Spillers in an email statement. <br />
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Spillers also noted in his statement that the cameras have been invaluable for his officers in their law enforcement duties.<br />
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"It has resolved a plethora of issues and helps preserve excellent evidence," said Spillers.<br />
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The City of Oakwood has used body cameras longer than any other agency in the area, according to City Manager Stan Brown. <br />
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He said there are six body cameras for Oakwood officers, which they have used since 2008. In addition, all 10 Oakwood City Police vehicles are equipped with in-car cameras.<br />
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Other jurisdictions in north Georgia continue to research the equipment, weighing the decision carefully, mainly because of the price tag.<br />
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In an email statement, Deputy Nicole Bailes with the Hall County Sheriff's Office said HCSO has one body camera being tested by a Special Operations supervisor.<br />
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"The Sheriff and his command staff have been actively looking at several models of body cameras with hopes to make a purchase sometime in January," said Bailes. "We have approximately 90 deputies and supervisors to equip at a rate of approximately $1,000 apiece."<br />
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She said HCSO has 20 dashboard cameras in use.<br />
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In Forsyth County, the Sheriff's Office has body cameras, but Deputy Doug Rainwater said those cameras are reserved for use by deputies assigned to school patrols. Rainwater said the school system actually purchased the body cameras for the school resource officers.<br />
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Also, the police department in the town of Mt. Airy in Habersham County has one body camera with a second on order for its small force.<br />
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Meanwhile, Holbrook pointed out that citizens are starting to take notice of the equipment, at least according to the reports he's hearing from officers.<br />
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"Individuals are noticing the cameras more-so now where they hadn't even noticed them before."<br />
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He said that's a good thing because it indicates Gainesville is at the forefront when it comes to using the technology.<br />
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"We try to be pro-active and not reactive. This is a project we've been working on for more than a year now, well before it became a topic of conversation, so I think that says a lot about our police agency and how we try to serve the community."<br />
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Spillers noted that while the Flowery Branch Police Department is fortunate to have the equipment it has, his wish is that all officers in the region would have the same benefit.<br />
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"I am hopeful all of the area law enforcement will soon find the funding to equip all of their officers as we have."<br />
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