Maryland – Prince George’s police to begin using body cameras in fall

Prince George’s County police want to start phasing in body cameras for police officers starting in fall. “We are planning to go operational in October of this year,” said Carlos Acosta, the inspector general for the county police. Acosta made the announcement Tuesday night during a “Know Your Rights” forum. “It’s a small, rectangular, black object [that]looks a lot like the back of a cellphone. It will mount to the center of the chest of the officer,” he said. He also said the officers will be able to turn the cameras on and off. “I think it affects behavior on both sides of the camera. Both the officer wearing it and the citizen involved, if they know they’re being recorded, I think people act differently. We’ll find out. I’ve seen some studies that show otherwise, but my belief is it absolutely will affect [behavior]in a positive manner,” Acosta said.