Florida

Miami Beach Police Debut Body Cameras

The Miami Beach Police Department deployed its first roll out of body cameras for officers on patrol Tuesday.

The pilot program features body cameras on 10 motorcycle squad officers. Within several weeks, the Department plans to expand that number to more than 30 officers wearing body cameras.

The three-month pilot program is meant to test the technology before a full roll out.

"It provides more insight to police interaction with citizens, it's readily available technology that will provide accountability and transparency for our department and the men and women who we serve," Chief Dan Oates said.

Eventually, the department plans to deploy body cameras on all police officers.

The Miami Beach City Commission approved the use of body cameras last September. The city is budgeting $3 million to purchase cameras over the next five years.

The approval by the city of Miami Beach came just a few weeks after Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez called for all county police officers to wear body cameras.

The mayor said he planned to order 500 cameras that would attach to a pair of sunglasses for his patrol officers.

More than two-thirds of Florida voters support the idea of placing body cameras on police officers to record their interaction with the public, according to a poll released last fall.

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