Body cams come to Bolivar

Through the use of a grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office (TNGHSO), officers with the Bolivar Police Department have received body cameras and are now recording their interactions with the public during official business.
“I like for our officers and police department to be very transparent in what we do,” Pat Baker, Bolivar Police Chief, said. “Sometimes issues arise where complaints are filed against an officer or where an officer testifies in court and it’s the officer’s word against another person’s word. With the body cameras, we have an impartial witness. The camera has no bias. Citizens can know that they can now come to us with a problem and we can resolve it with a system set up to protect both the officer and the citizen.”
The body cameras have the capability for both audio and video recordings. The operating procedure of the Bolivar Police Department says officers will record every encounter with the public that is business related. Every call to an automobile accident, call for domestic disturbance, assault incidents, and all other forms of incidents will now be recorded from the time the officer arrives. Additionally, the operating procedure requires each officer to have their camera on at every scene. For example, if three officers are on the scene of a domestic assault, then the body cameras on all three officers will be recording the interactions.

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