Indiana city where Buttigieg is mayor weighs buying more body cameras for police
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Indiana city where Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg presides as mayor is considering the purchase of 75 additional body cameras for its police force, weeks after the fatal shooting of a black man by a white police officer led to civil unrest.
The South Bend Board of Public Works added the special purchase item to its July 3 meeting but then removed it with no action taken. Mark Bode, a spokesman for Buttigieg's office, told Fox News the item was added to the agenda prematurely.
“The administration is evaluating options to upgrade and expand body camera technologies," Bode said, adding the decision to implement the expansion would most likely occur as part of the city's 2020 budget process.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SOUTH BEND POLICE UNION SLAMS BUTTIGIEG OVER RESPONSE TO POLICE SHOOTING OF BLACK MAN
The cameras are estimated to cost $337,500, the South Bend Tribune reported. The city equipped its police officers with 170 body cameras a year ago at a cost of $1.5 million. The department has around 240 officers, according to the paper.
Bode did not say whether the process to purchase the cameras began before or after the June 16 fatal shooting of Eric Logan, 54, by South Bend police Sgt. Ryan O'Neill. The 19-year police veteran was responding to reports of someone breaking into cars when he encountered Logan, who authorities say was armed with a knife.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'Neill's body camera was not running during his confrontation with Logan. Buttigieg, 37, left the campaign trail to address the matter.
In the ensuing days, some criticized the mayor over the firing of the city's black police chief during his first term and said he hadn't done enough to reform the department.
BUTTIGIEG STRUGGLES WITH RACIAL UNREST IN SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Buttigieg's office said the police chief issued a general order that all officers activate their body cameras during all work-related interactions with civilians.
"This step is intended to confirm community expectations that police encounters with civilians will be recorded," Buttigieg said in a statement to the paper.
The old policy required officers "activate the recorder during all enforcement stops and field interview situations, and any other time the (officer) reasonably believes that a recording of an on-duty contact may be useful."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}O'Neill has been placed on paid administrative leave and a special prosecutor had been appointed to investigate the shooting. Logan's family is suing the city and the officer for using excessive deadly force.