AUSTIN — Every officer patrolling the streets of Chicago will wear a body camera by the end of 2018, Supt. Eddie Johnson said Sunday.
After starting as a pilot program in the North Side Shakespeare District in 2015, body cameras are already being used in seven police districts, according to the department.
With the initial pilot program coming to an end, Johnson said the department will take two years to expand the program citywide in an effort to build community trust and help hold officers accountable.
"Body-worn cameras provide a rare glimpse into the dangerous situations Chicago police officers face every day in an effort to keep our communities safe," Johnson said at a press conference Sunday in the Austin District, 5007 W. Madison St.
"They will also assist in our efforts to provide better training and community relations in all of the diverse neighborhoods we serve. This expansion is a win-win for the public and for officers," Johnson said.
Though the body cam program is still in its "infancy" stage, it has already helped instill trust in the community while also aiding in investigations, the collection of evidence as well as the policing of officer behavior, said Fred Waller, chief of patrols.
The department hasn't announced which districts the body cameras will first expand to, only to say that all officers will be equipped with one by the end of 2018. At that point, the 4,000 cameras will be the most of any police department in the country, Waller said.
The public has already seen body cam footage from the scene of a police-involved shooting.
In August, the department released body cam footage from multiple officers at the scene of the police-involved shooting that killed teenager Paul O'Neill. Johnson viewed the body cam footage and said the footage was concerning and used it to move three officers involved in the fatal shooting to desk duty.
The $8 million body camera program will be funded through the department's operational budget and through a series of grants, Johnson said.
The announcement comes as Mayor Rahm Emanuel is set to give a major speech on crime and public safety this week.
The department is also under investigation by the Department of Justice, and although the investigation is ongoing, Johnson said it is possible that body cameras on officers could be mandated in any settlement with the federal government.
Johnson said officers already with body cams are still getting used to them. He noted that even he has trouble adjusting to the camera he uses each time he is on patrol.
Training on proper body cam usage is ongoing, he said.
"I still kind of goof it up at times," Johnson said. "We're trying to get it right. [Officers] deserve a certain amount of privacy."
Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th) said the cameras already help to establish a new level of trust between the community and department.
"There's less problems with police accountability," he said. "It's going to get better as it goes along."
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