Police Review Commission requests information on body-worn cameras, inventory at Wednesday meeting
At a meeting of the Police Review Commission on Wednesday, motions were passed to request information regarding the nature of body-worn cameras and iPhones that will be utilized by police officers in the coming weeks as well as inventory records from before and after the Aug. 5 riots.
In light of the body-worn camera policy, which is anticipated to be given to the commission Oct. 22, the commission continued dialogue from last meeting and made motions to request additional information about body-worn cameras and how they interact with cellphones. Another motion by Commissioner Andrea Prichett was passed requesting information about original documents that recorded inventory records of munitions before and after actions Aug. 5.
“I would like to make a request for information. I would like not only the copy of the most current policy, I would also like — I have huge concerns about the interaction and the ways that phones are being used with body cameras,” Prichett said at the meeting, “If officers are walking around with department-issued iPhones and body-worn cameras, … we don’t have the policies, we don’t have the commitment from them to follow the policies.”
The primary, more detailed motion introduced by Prichett about body-worn camera information requests was replaced by a substitute motion, which passed. The substitute motion was introduced by Commissioner Kitty Calavita. The new motion requested more generalized information, such as details about how the cameras will interfere with phones, which have not been officially released yet.
Another information request motion was filed by Prichett, asking for the original forms detailing that the police department took inventory of munitions before and after a protest that took place Aug. 5.
BPD Lt. Randy Files, who stood in place of the chief of police during this meeting, explained that according to Incident Command Structure, or ICS, officers fill out forms detailing the equipment they have.
“As I listen to this conversation, I think of the check-in procedures. … You check in your resources. … I fill out a 211 form and a 214 form saying I have an ‘X’ amount of officers and I have this equipment with me,” Files said during the meeting.
Another recommendation, intending to consider the commendation of Officer Stephanie Cole for her actions during a traffic stop involving Berkeley Councilmember Ben Bartlett, was withdrawn by Commissioner Michael Sherman.
The recommendation was first introduced because of comments made from the public wishing to thank Officer Cole during the last PRC meeting Sept. 12. Sherman decided to withdraw the recommendation because of his belief that the commission should not begin commendation for officers.
“I think it would be very, very dangerous, very, very wrong if we started recommending officers every time there’s a traffic stop,” Sherman said.
Sabrina Dong covers crime and courts. Contact her at sdong@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter at @Sabrina_Dong_.