City Motorcycle Officers Begin Using Mobile Cameras
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The latest equipment City of Pittsburgh motorcycle and bicycle officers have access to is no longer than a pen.
And the video monitor, which is fed back to the station, is no bigger than a cell phone.
The camera could be clipped to their glasses, their cap or helmet, or their collar. It's manufactured by Taser International.
"Pittsburgh is the first major city east of the Mississippi deploying this technology," said Rick Smith, of Taser International.
Right now, the camera has to be turned on manually and because of Pennsylvania wiretap laws, officers must notify you when you're being captured on camera.
"The law says officers must notify within a reasonable time that the subject is being videotaped," said Lt. Ed Trapp, of Pittsburgh Police.
The goal is to make sure there's documentation of how both officers and citizens act.
So far, 50 units - which cost about $1,000 each - are in service in Zone 6, in the South Hills and West End.
Eventually, the city will have about 100 camera units. And police claim complaints about traffic stops have already decreased.
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