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Body Cameras Bill Clears First House Panel

MGN Online

Florida lawmakers want to allow law enforcement officers to review their body camera footage before writing a report or making a statement.

“I was doing about 12 to 15 calls a day for police service…one traffic accident after another, one burglary after another, one complaint after another,” said Gary Bradford with the Florida Police Benevolent Association. “You cannot remember that. So, when a Sergeant comes up and says, ‘hey, yesterday or two days ago, what happened at that incident?’ You say, ‘I don’t know.’ Well, a body camera changes that dynamic.”

Rep. Shawn Harrison (R-Tampa) is sponsoring the House bill—which passed its first committee Wednesday. He says law enforcement agencies that currently use body cameras must create guidelines for how an officer must review the footage. Meanwhile, the Senate bill by Sen. Greg Steube (R-Sarasota) has not yet had a hearing.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.