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LA Police Commission Wants Public Opinion On How Body Cameras Should Be Used

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Police Commission wants to know – how should police officers use a body camera?

The Los Angeles Police Department is preparing guidelines for using more than 800 Taser Axon body cameras set to be rolled out early next year.

As part of that preparation, the commission began circulating a survey Monday to an initial group of about 1,000 people who are signed up to receive agendas and other information, as well as participants of Community-Police Advisory Boards, Commission Executive Director Richard Tefank said. Participants are being asked to complete the survey by Jan. 16.

The survey asks for input on when and where recordings can take place, and how the stored video footage can be used.

The questions on the survey are:

-- When should officers turn the camera on and under what circumstances should they turn them off?
-- Are there instances or locations where you believe recordings should not take place?
-- How should the LAPD protect the privacy of those individuals who are recorded on video?
-- Do you believe officers should be able to view the video prior to writing the necessary reports?
-- Do you believe that department supervisors should regularly review the video captured to ascertain opportunities for improved training?

The survey also asks for any other comments that respondents would like to provide and questions they believe the Police Commission should ask the LAPD as the development of the policy is reviewed.

Responses to the questions can be submitted to Body-WornCameraSurvey@lapd.lacity.org.

Tefank said the commission plans to post the survey on its website. The public will also have the opportunity to submit comments at two community meetings in January, and at the weekly Police Commission meetings.

The commission's questionnaire is in addition to a separate online survey being conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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