South Bend police to get body cameras by June

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Police officers in South Bend, Indiana will soon be equipped with body cameras.

The city's Board of Public Safety approved the move during its Wednesday meeting.

The board also approved guidelines on the use of the devices. They include requiring officers to activate the recorder during all enforcement stops and field interview situations, and any other time the officer reasonably believes a recording of an on-duty contact may be useful.

Officers can also secretly record any conversation during the course of a criminal investigation.

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said the cameras will always be recording, with the officer turning it on at the start of their shift.

Last year, the South Bend Common Council approved allocating $1.5 million over five years for the body cameras. The money also goes to 170 new cameras for police vehicles.

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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com