Assembly Debates Police Body Cameras

Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber has authored a bill that would provide guidelines to law enforcement agencies that choose to use body cameras. It includes the requirement that officers make an official statement before reviewing body camera video in cases of use of force, injury or death.

Weber says her bill is a response to a series of police shootings involving African-American men.

"I probably would not be as greatly concerned if these incidents that have happened in the past year or so were really out of the ordinary," she says. "But most of us in African-American communities know that only because we have video cameras now are we aware of it."

Randy Perry represents the Peace Officers Research Association of California. He says body cameras should be treated like other devices.

"In most agencies who use dash-cam or in car cameras, who use audio, who use their field notes, all of those are generally allowed to be viewed by the officer before they write their report," he says.

The bill was approved and now moves to another Assembly committee.