More cameras good idea for patrol vehicles

Video from cameras mounted in police cars is pretty common these days. Often when we in the public see it, the video is a record of some accident or confrontation, but it serves a wider purpose.
 
That is why we are glad to see that the Yuma Police Department is starting to upgrade its video availability in patrol cars because they are beneficial for both the public and the police.
 
The idea of a camera in a patrol car is not new to YPD. They are replacing one in a car that has been  used primarily for drunken driving enforcement. The new camera is a digital one that is much smaller than the former VHS tape model.
 
The new camera has a lot of technical advantages. It is linked to the vehicle's radar system so the speed of other vehicle can be checked and recorded and the data can be downloaded to a computer for review and storage rather than dealing with VHS tapes.
 
The new camera also provides better quality images which will make it easier to clearly see what is going on.
 
But those are extras that simply enhance the desirability of having video cameras in law enforcement vehicles.
 
The basic reason to have the camera is to ensure there is a video record of an incident so if a member of the public feels they have been mistreated or an officer is falsely accused of misconduct, there is something to verify what happened.
 
In the case of the YPD camera, it also makes it possible to monitor what is going on in the back seat of the patrol car where suspects are kept before being transferred to jail. Again, that is a protection for both officers and suspects because it verifies the condition of the person and their actions.
 
The bad part of the YPD's cameras is that they are so limited in their use. Plans now are for them to be placed in four vehicles. The money for them is coming from grants.
 
Really, the cameras should be in all patrol vehicles - not just those of the YPD but also other local law enforcement agencies. They aren't cheap - the ones YPD is using cost $6,000 - but the benefits to the law enforcement agencies and to the public justify much wider use, even if it means relying on local funds rather than grants.
 
After all, what higher priority is there for public money than public safety and protection?