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What Impact Will Police Body Cameras Have In Burlington?

A police officer wearing a body camera.
Damian Dovarganes
/
Associated Press File
By January, Burlington will be eqipping its entire patrol force with body cameras, similar to this one used by the Los Angeles Police Deprtment.

Burlington’s Police Department recently decided to outfit all of its officers with body cameras. The rollout is expected to be complete by January 2015.

The use of the cameras brings up questions of privacy, while others point to the increased transparency they would provide. In one town in California, during the first year the cameras were implemented, the use of force by officers declined 60%, and citizen complaints against police fell 88%.

Burlington Chief of Police Michael Schirling explains the decision to purchase and introduce the body cameras and answers questions of protocol the police force will incorporate. And ACLU of Vermont Executive Director Allen Gilbert discusses why his organization supports their use and the concerns they have.

Also on the program, clogged storm drains can be a real nuisance to home and business owners. So, Burlington recently established a local Adopt-a-Drain program. We hear how it works from Megan Moir, stormwater “plangineer” for the City of Burlington Public Works, and 9-year-old Drain Defender Ella Lipkin.

Broadcast live on Monday, November 10 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Ric was a producer for Vermont Edition and host of the VPR Cafe.
Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
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