Oakland police officers are required to wear cameras embedded in their uniforms in order to record their interactions with residents. These cameras are known in the department as PDRDs (Portable Digital Recording Devices) The idea is that recording these interactions will provide an objective record of what happens to help situations when the police are accused of misconduct. However, it seems that the police are not wearing/turning them on in many instances:
"But a recently released report shows that many Oakland police officers are still refusing to wear or turn on their lapel cameras, also known as Portable Digital Recording Devices, or PDRDs. Moreover, the report, produced by court-appointed monitor Robert Warshaw, found that OPD supervisors not only have failed to keep track of which cops aren't using the cameras, but also haven't disciplined officers who don't use them." [2013-11-06, East Bay Express]
departmental order cameras 2011.pdf
Compliance Director Thomas Frazier's Monthly Report for November, 2013 reopened the benchmark for use of the PDRDs after the Monitor report found that the department was not using them properly.
News & External Links
- 2011-03-29: "Oakland Police Officers Equipped With Portable Cameras" CBS
- 2012-02-20: "Oakland Police Caught Violating Camera Policy" copblock.org
- 2013-10-15: "When Should Cops Be Required to Wear Cameras?" The Atlantic Cities
- 2013-11-06: "OPD Needs to Start Using Its Lapel Cameras" East Bay Express
- 2013-12-02: "Tensions ease between OPD top cop and city leaders" Oakland Tribune
