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Clive Police Officer Sees "No Downside" to Body Cameras

VIEVU
VIEVU is the brand of body camera worn by Clive police officers

President Obama made the announcement this week that, in the aftermath of Ferguson and other cases, the White House would call for $75 million over three years to make 50,000 body cameras available to police departments across the country.

Credit Courtesy of the Clive Police Department
Officer Maurio Coleman

Officer Maurio Coleman, of the Clive Police Department says members of the Clive police force have been wearing body cameras for the past year, and that it helps both police officers and civilians.

"I don't believe there's a downside," says Coleman. "Usually you get information that you may not take on your note, that you might look on your video, and you go, 'Oh, I missed that.'"

It also works the other way around, with civilians being unable to interpret what may have been said during an encounter with an officer.

"That way, if you're making a report, [you can] take that person's statement exactly the way it was given to you."

On this news buzz edition of River to River, host Ben Kieffer checks in with Coleman.

rtr141205_coleman.mp3
Listen to Ben Kieffer's interview with Officer Coleman

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River