Chicago police chief to wear body camera in pilot program

CHICAGO (AP) - The head of Chicago police says he's going to wear a body camera as part of a pilot program.

The Chicago Sun-Times (http://bit.ly/1RZeYyM ) reports that Interim Superintendent Eddie Johnson said he'll start wearing the camera Monday. Johnson says that the idea is not just to fight crime but also learn from encounters with the public.

Chicago launched the pilot program last year with dozens of officers testing the cameras in a few areas. It plans to expand this year.

Police say about 450 body cameras will be shipped to Chicago this week. Authorities say the pilot program appears to have cut down on the number of complaints against officers.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says Johnson wearing a camera is an important step in restoring trust and accountability in the department.

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Information from: Chicago Sun-Times, http://chicago.suntimes.com/