Denver Police Sue Over Body Cameras

The Denver police union said in a news release it does not oppose officers wearing body cameras. But the union said the policy that was put in place is ill-conceived, and the union's lawsuit questions multiple aspects of the program, including how it will affect officers' workloads when wearing them on off-duty security jobs.

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The Denver police union has filed a lawsuit against the police department over its new body camera program, saying it was illegally developed because the administration ignored collective bargaining rules.

The Denver Police Protective Association said in a news release it does not oppose officers wearing body cameras. But the union said the policy that was put in place in September is ill-conceived, and the union's lawsuit questions multiple aspects of the program, including how it will affect officers' workloads when wearing them on off-duty security jobs.

"An ill-conceived body camera program breeds distrust amongst community members and the officers expected to operate this important policing tool," the news release said. "Unfortunately, an ill-conceived body camera program is exactly what we face in the City of Denver."

The department plans to deploy the first cameras to officers later this month, Chief Robert White said Monday at the city's annual public-safety luncheon.

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Daniel Luzer is GOVERNING's news editor.
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