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Body cameras being used by more local police officers

The City of Tonawanda Police Department is the latest local agency equipping its officers with body cameras. Captain Fredric Foels says each of the department's 30 officers has been assigned a camera and video from each shift is downloaded on a secure server. Foels said there was no resistance from any officer and that body cameras can protect both the public and police.

"If there's an allegation made against an officer, we can review the tape and see how it played out, see what the tape says. But it could be used during a course of a trial, too, like a DWI trial. So it could be used in a court proceeding," Foels said.  

Foels says the body cameras will be rolling on all interaction with the public. Shortly after the cameras were issued last week, he says a City of Tonawanda police officer captured a suspected bank robber on tape.

The $30,000 system was paid for with asset forfeiture money.
 

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