Don’t complicate cameras

The Spokesman-Review’s Sept. 13 “Cops, cameras a gray area” article illustrates how a simple concept becomes complicated when tangential hypothetical situations take center stage. This includes the notion that if police officers enter a home “and a resident affirmatively says to us, you can’t record,” recording must cease.

If the law is being broken, why should a resident decide whether further filming is appropriate? Then there is the assertion that Washington’s “rules of engagement” differ from those of other states, with the corollary that film/don’t film decisions should be left to officer discretion. Lastly, Chief Straub’s willingness “to proceed slowly and deliberately as we roll this project out.”

Body cameras were recommended because, in light of past tragic events, the public no longer trusts police discretion. Camera implementation has been unnecessarily dragged out for many months, for dubious reasons. Like the Police Guild’s contention that officers require additional compensation for using cameras.

It is well past time to force this issue and engage a methodology in Spokane that has proved itself beneficial elsewhere, by providing video records, and consequent improvement, of interactions between law enforcement officials and the public.

David Fietz

Springdale, Wash.