Editorial: Don't let suit slow move toward police body cams

Last week 10 Round Lake Park police officers filed a federal lawsuit seeking at least $15 million in damages, claiming their rights were compromised when the body cameras they wore on the job also recorded them in the locker room and using the bathroom.

It further claims that department leaders "willfully allowed" the recordings to happen, watched the videos and then erased them once their discovery was made by an officer who is among the 10 filing suit.

While the Illinois Law Enforcement Officer Body-Worn Camera Act doesn't specifically address whether cameras should be turned off during bathroom breaks and the like, common sense dictates officers have a right to privacy.

But we're not here to adjudicate the case. The courts will decide whether department leaders have culpability here.

Our message is simple: Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

The Round Lake Park police suspended the use of body cameras before the lawsuit was filed. Police chief George Filenko said the cameras were not operating according to the department's protocols.

There certainly is cause for alarm in Round Lake Park, but we hope a $15 million lawsuit does not encourage suburban law enforcement agencies to stop using cameras or dissuade others from giving them a try. Nearby Gurnee seems to have the right idea. Police chief Kevin Woodside said he's proceeding cautiously, taking time to "learn from the others' experience," but still plans to equip his 40 officers with the cameras by the end of the year.

As the Illinois law states: "Trust and mutual respect between law enforcement agencies and the communities they protect and serve are essential to effective policing and the integrity of our criminal justice system.

"Officer-worn body cameras may provide impartial evidence and documentation to settle disputes and allegations of officer misconduct. Ultimately, the uses of officer-worn body cameras will help collect evidence while improving transparency and accountability, and strengthening public trust."

The law does not require police departments to use body cameras; it merely sets forth rules of use if a department decides to employ them. We've heard anecdotal evidence in the suburbs that when body cameras are used, both officers and the people they encounter behave more civilly. That certainly is an attractive byproduct.

Police departments all over the country are working hard to restore trust that has eroded dramatically in the past couple years. While we've not seen a major problem with police violence in the suburbs, it's hard to argue the benefits of openness and accountability that an unblinking, empirical record provides. As this suit goes through the courts, we urge other departments not to press rewind.