Body Cameras on Phoenixville Police Wishlist

The increased use of smartphone cameras by civilians and a glaring rift with segments of the public has placed police officers under more scrutiny than ever.

The added public pressure and a mission to protect his officers from showing up on a YouTube video filmed by a witness who did not capture the full story has Phoenixville Police Chief William Mossman looking to equip the department with body-mounted cameras, according to the Daily Local.

The department is looking at several models, the report says, with the most attractive option being a pen-shaped camera that can attach to a lapel or the earpiece of a pair of glasses. The problem, sources tell the Daily Local, is the cost not only for the equipment, but also upgrading the department’s storage space for the hours of footage, estimated to be at $4,000.

An application for a $2,700 grant to help with the cost has been approved, the report says, and Mossman will look at the 2016 budget for room to cover the additional expenses.

Read the full story at the Daily Local News.