As it turns out, there has been yet another instance of violence in the state of Washington. This is in line with reforming the policemen and their policies. Bodycams have the best policies to force policemen to be in line with what they should be doing. Which is essentially protecting and serving. Not causing mayhem.
Such an update occurred to the agency’s policy, thanks to Interim police Chief Adrian Diaz. This came after an SPD detective had been one of three law enforcement officers fatally shooting California homicide suspect Marshall Jones the Third. When this occurred, it was last week in Kent while officers had been trying to arrest him for a presumed disappearance and death of ex-girlfriend Alexis Gabe, back in January. She was 24 years old.
Future encounters with suspects will be captured on video enough to provide enough consistency with police officers in Seattle. That they follow the rules and don’t make with unnecessary murders. Regardless of which level of the law those officers work with, federal or state.
This can be used on individuals like Seattle Detective Matthew Lilje, for instance. He is a Snohomish County’s sheriff’s detective and a deputy U.S. marshal. And while he had a noble role, Lilje had opened fire on Jones just the past Wednesday while charging the officers with a knife. It literally was bringing a gun to a knife fight. Therefore, leaving any suspects at an unfair advantage.
Because of the bodycam footage not being applicable in this circumstance, there was no immediate reveal of Lilje’s actions, being that he was also not required to as part of a task force. Yet, there was a policy engaged to publicly release any available video, 911 calls and surveillance footage within 72 hours of a major incident. And it just so happens that one of the cops did record the video on his cellphone.
So what can bodycams do for the future of policing?
Bodycams are able to get applicable footage from the policemen that wear it. And in those instances, it’s very visible to see how police will follow protocol carefully. There has been justice enacted against the police who have taken against the real missteps against innocent individuals who therefore really don’t deserve to have been shot.
