Eunice police, citizens have new eyes

Like the Christmas song asks, “Do you see what I see?”
The Eunice Police Department is becoming one of the most technologically advanced departments in the state with the issuance of Taser-brand “body cams”– which are video cameras to be worn by all full-time police officers on the Eunice force.
It’s a move that Police Chief Ronald Dies said would instill “behavior modification” for both officers and perpetrators. He said that the new devices – which are about the size of a small cell phone – were just being issued last week.
“It didn’t cost the city one penny for this,” said Dies. “This is paid for out of our drug-forfeiture fund. This money comes from drug deals and the money that we got from (arresting) drug dealers. It didn’t cost the taxpayers one penny and it’s a good deterrent for our officers’ and the city’s liability.”
Chief Dies said that Eunice police spent about $7,000 for the cameras.
Dies said that the cameras will also result in a decrease in false accusations against the officers and lawsuits against the city.
The Eunice Police Department now joins the rank of the likes of the Los Angeles Police Department – who in 2013 pioneered the use of the body cameras for their officers.
According to LAPD, citizen complaints against officers and citizen incidents decreased after the cameras went on-line.
Dies said that more camera eyes are coming to the department as the internal station cameras system was being upgraded last week for the installation of 24 new audio-video cameras at the department.
“We used to have 40 cameras here at the station, now we’re going to have 64,” said Dies. “Again, it’s another protection for us with liability claims that people make and have made in the past. It cost us $7,500 – which is nothing compared to what we would pay in one lawsuit.”
Dies said that the station cameras – being installed outside and inside the police station – were paid for by “bond fees” and other fees collected by the department.