After months of delay, Boston Police are getting body cameras, as 100 officers are told to wire up, whether they like it or not. Dr. Jeff Czarnec ( @JeffreySCzarnec) and Martha Coakley ( @marthacoakley) joined Jim to discuss.
They discussed their doubts about the pilot program, which is due to roll out next month. Coakley said that it would probably work better with volunteers, who were willing to try it. She said that the department needs to move slowly, to "make sure you do it right," as we've never done this before. Czarnec said that "a lot more questions need to be asked." He added that police are trained and taught to ask questions, and he asked, have all the questions been asked here?
Coakley said that some of the message to police officers is, we don't trust you. She noted that this is a huge change from "what they think their job is." And, she added, there have to be rules about privacy. Czarnec asked, what will be the effect on police service?
They also discussed the cartoon in the Boston Globe, of a police officer offering different rights to a white and black person. Coakley called the cartoon outrageous and inappropriate. She said that even cartoons should have some measure of truth and balance to it. Czarnec said that it is poor taste from the professional standpoint, however, it is healthy to continue a dialogue.
