Police Install Cameras in Cars

Arguing in Traffic Court over who said what and when they said it will likely be less contentious in the future.

Newport Beach police patrol cars, including the beach patrols, now have video cameras installed behind the windshields, rigged to roll when the sirens and lights go on.

The cameras, which also may be turned on at the officer’s discretion, will help them to accomplish several goals, said Sgt. Andy Gonis of the Police Department.

Officers will be able to present the most accurate evidence possible in court cases, he said. The city and police also expect the high-tech additions to save them money because administering claims will be much simpler.

“This is a growing trend in law enforcement,” Gonis said. “We need as much evidence as we can get to make our case in court.”

City Manager Kevin J. Murphy said the city has high hopes as well for the cameras. Officials expect to save staff time in processing complaints and claims against the Police Department.

The cameras will save on court costs too, because staff members will likely go to court less frequently because of the evidence the cameras collect.

“A good amount of money can be saved by having a good, accurate field record,” Murphy said.

Murphy said a common problem for police officers is trying to paint an accurate picture of encounters with people who are intoxicated.

The next day, he said, suspects’ recollections often differ substantially from accounts given by eyewitnesses.

“I can clearly remember a couple of cases where eyewitnesses said the complainant was loud and boisterous, and if we had had that on tape we could have saved hours on staff time talking to these people,” Murphy said.

Another major issue, he said, is officer safety. Murphy said suspects may be less likely to assault officers if they know that their deeds will be recorded on video.