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Date: 11/3/2021
SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez visited the Springfield Police Department on Oct. 22 to learn about the precinct’s bodycam program.
Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood opened the dialogue by discussing the program’s first year of operation. The bodycam program started with a $1.1 million grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ), with Springfield working alongside the DOJ to work out fitting protocols.
While its implementation was initially met with hesitancy by officers, Clapprood revealed that bodycams have cut down considerably on citizen complaints and have been accepted by the department. “It’s protecting [officers] more than causing aggravation. The officers have been converted,” said Clapprood. She said the cameras have also helped in disproving false accusations made toward officers, with 550 officers currently utilizing bodycams during their regular shifts.
The bodycam program has been in development since the beginning of 2019, with overseer of the bodycam project Captain Edward Geier detailing the process behind the bodycam implementation. “It didn’t happen overnight,” said Geier, who explained that initial policies and training were completed by February 2020. The body cameras made their public debut on June 3 as police officers were overseeing the George Floyd protests in downtown Springfield, according to Geier.
The Springfield captain detailed a presentation about the bodycams with Deputy Chief Rupert Daniel, who also oversees the program. Daniel broke down the five tenants behind the bodycams’ purpose, which include providing compelling evidence, ensuring accountability and transparency, help mitigate citizen behavior, dismiss frivolous claims and provide management an opportunity to see how officers are performing in the field. Geier claimed that Springfield is the first district in the nation to implement bodycams during COVID-19.
As of the meeting day, Geier said he considers the bodycams a success for the city. He detailed that the program has allowed for 80 percent of citizen complaints to be debunked via evidence review. Other districts have also been influenced by Springfield’s program. “The department [of justice] has labeled the program as a leader in the nation,” said Geier. Daniel shared that all officers will be taught with bodycams as a regular part of their training.
After hearing the presentation, Gonzalez shared his thoughts on the developing program. “I hope these visits help elevate the work being done here. Springfield is a leader in policy by being one of the first to take on the bodycam initiative,” said Gonzalez. The state senator said he is encouraged by the early results of the bodycams and hopes they help improve relations between the Police Department and the citizenry.
Gonzalez also encouraged the Springfield Police Department to embrace their role as an example of how the program can be accomplished. “Having you guys as a spokesperson [for bodycams] would be critical. Those learning curves would be helpful to other departments,” said Gonzalez.
The state senator concluded his visit by testing out the bodycams through a simulation test and touring the department’s database center for bodycam recordings.