Leesburg police officers to get body cameras

LEESBURG _ Leesburg police officers, staying in step with a national trend impacting both large and small law enforcement agencies, will be wearing body cameras within about three weeks.

Police Chief Charles Moore told members of the Leesburg City Council Tuesday night that the receipt of the 11 body cameras will enable each officer to be equipped with the recording device.

“Sooner or later this is going to be mandatory,” Moore said. “This should help us out a lot, not only for officer safety, but for public safety, too.”

The body cameras cost $395 each, a total expense of $4,345. Moore said the money was included in this year’s budget.

National law enforcement groups say body cameras and in-car cameras have been instrumental in deterring violence and other dangerous behavior by people stopped by officers. Although there have been a handful of high-profile cases in which the body cameras show misconduct by officers, statistics show that the cameras typically clear officers who have been accused of wrongdoing.

Proponents of the body cameras said the recorded evidence makes it easier to obtain criminal convictions and ups the number of guilty pleas, reducing the amount of time officers have to spend in court.

Moore said his officers will receive training on the cameras. Leesburg police already have in-car cameras.

“You have to turn them on when you get out of your vehicles, so you’ll have to get used to them,” he said, “but you eventually get in the habit.”

Moore said the memory devices are enclosed, preventing officers from being able to erase any recordings.

Meantime, City Clerk Casey Moore said the city’s finances are in good shape as the fiscal year winds down.

“We’re three-quarters of the way done with the year, and revenues are at about 75 percent across all funds,” she said. “Expenses lag a little bit, which is how they should be.

“We’re in a dry period for revenue until about September. We have pretty much spent money for large items. There won’t be any large purchases for the rest of the (fiscal) year.”

In other action, the council:

— Approved an alcohol license for Chandanben Patel at EZ Food Mart;

— Delayed discussion of a proposed parking ordinance until City Attorney Bert Gregory can attend the meeting.