Tucson takes part in testing of US border agency video recording system
May 1, 2018, 12:08 PM
PHOENIX – The Tucson Air Branch was one of nine operational environments to start testing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection video recording program, the agency announced Tuesday.
Agents and officers of the nation’s largest law enforcement agency are evaluating the use of the Incident Driven Video Recording System, which includes body-worn and vehicle-mounted cameras.
The testing could lead to a broad rollout of body cameras by Customs and Border, which would make it the first federal agency to use the devices on a large scale.
Nearly every large U.S. police department has equipped at least some officers with body cameras, and many publicly release footage following high-profile shootings and other encounters.
Customs and Border previously concluded in 2015 after a yearlong study that body cameras were not yet suitable for widespread use due to cost, technological challenges and the need for labor union approval. However, it said the cameras had potential in limited circumstances.
Officials said technology has evolved since the 2015 test, and the cameras used in the current field tests will build on lessons learned in the previous test. The equipment was provided by several manufacturers the agency declined to name.
“As the first federal law enforcement agency to complete a feasibility study of body-worn cameras, we are now ready to deploy video cameras in border environments to evaluate their ability to document law enforcement encounters effectively,” Kevin K. McAleenan, the agency’s commissioner, said in a news release.
Six months of testing was scheduled at operational environments along the U.S. border, at and between ports of entry, in the air and at sea.
Tucson was the only Air Branch in the testing. The other locations were:
• Land ports of entry: Detroit, Michigan, and Eagle Pass, Texas.
• Airport: Atlanta, Georgia.
• Seaport: Long Beach, California.
• Border Patrol operations: Campo, California; Kingsville, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico.
• Marine Branch: West Palm Beach, Florida.
According to the news release, “The goal of the study is to determine CBP’s capability needs and gaps with documenting incidents and to enhance transparency of operations through the use of fixed, vehicle-mounted and body-worn cameras, while supporting officer safety.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
