As of December 2018, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department has required its officers to activate body cameras whenever they are interacting with members of the public. Officers are given the discretion, however, over if they tell the public whether or not their body cameras are in use. When the cameras are on, officers must keep the camera activated throughout the entire event and document the use of a body camera if used during an interview, interrogation, or statement. Police officers are required to keep their camera on when interacting with a suspect, even if the suspect asks for it to be turned off. Officers can also turn off their cameras when talking to other police officers, which keeps what they’re saying from being recorded.

Most body cameras are attached to a police officer’s uniform by either a clip or velcro. This allows agencies to not order new uniforms when incorporating body cameras into their units but has lead to accidents with their cameras. There have been plenty of cases where an officer was chasing or fighting with a subject, causing their body camera to be ripped off of their chest. This leaves both the police officer and defendant with no evidence of the incident.

Robert Bowling is a retired police officer from Fishers (IN) and Durham (NC) police departments. In retirement, he has continued his passion to honor fallen officers. He is an Ambassador for the National Law Enforcement Memorial, as well as an historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page. He also has a passion for history, focusing primarily on law enforcement history. He is a member of the Police History Society and is the author of the book Wicked Fishers. He currently teaches Criminal Justice for a local high school.

The Coral Springs Police Department first tested wearing body cameras in 2013, with their primary purpose of recording DUI investigations. Due to the positive feedback by officers and the public, the department made body cameras a part of their uniform in 2016. The cameras are supposed to be on at all times, in order to increase transparency between an officer and whoever they’re interacting with.

Body cameras can also be a secret weapon for the State in court. Body cameras are supposed to capture all video and audio and may reveal certain events that were omitted from the police report. If a defendant has slurred speech or is argumentative with an officer, the camera will show details that were previously subjective. A defendant’s actions are also emphasized with the addition of body camera footage, like if a defendant is constantly cursing or yelling. These can be used to define character and tell a story in court, sometimes painting the defendant in an even worse light. It is important to always be polite, calm, and respectful with the police officer you are interacting with no matter what, especially so that the body camera footage cannot be used against you in any way shape or form.

X26 TASER

Florida law does not require law enforcement agencies to install body cameras within their units, but it does require those departments that have cameras to adhere to specific protocols and regulations. This includes proper training, correct maintenance, and careful storage of body cameras. Some law enforcement agencies choose to use body cameras as a safety net in regard to complaints about officer interactions. Other agencies, however, feel that body cameras make witnesses and members of the community uncomfortable, causing them to share less information with the police. Police officers are also supposed to wear their cameras anytime that they are on duty, in order to capture all events and interactions. Florida law also requires departments that use body cameras to follow the proper regulations on how to preserve and maintain footage within their department’s database.

Body cameras are good for criminal defense attorneys because they help to capture all police activity, helping to ensure that officers aren’t abusing their power. When a client’s recollection of events disagrees with the police report, the body camera video is a great resource to confirm the true story. Some police officers deliberately mute their cameras, making is so that their conversations aren’t recorded and held against them.

While the  TASER was originally targeted for law enforcement, only ten out of the first 1,000 units went to police departments. A majority of the sales were to private citizens and it wasn’t long before criminals began to use the  TASER during the commission of crimes. The first reported incident was in Miami when a  TASER was used on a gas station clerk during a robbery. The  TASER was traced back to a robbery of a gun store two weeks earlier in which nine  TASERs were stolen. Another incident occurred when four robbers used a TASER to torture a couple in Blue Bell, PA. The problem with the TASER was that it was unregulated and could be bought through mail order ads in magazines and through unlicensed dealers.

When talking to or interacting with a police officer in full uniform, you should notice a tiny, flashing light coming from the center of their chest. This is a body camera — a wearable audio and photographic device that records a police officer’s every move. The purpose of body cameras is to capture what actually goes down when police are involved so that there is no guessing when the video is recalled and examined.

“It gives us a chance to see the development” of a situation, Sheriff Gregory Tony said, noting that sometimes civilian videos may only capture a potentially aggressive end of a person’s encounter with police, but perhaps they missed the portion of the encounter where the person being arrested or handled aggressively pulled a gun on the officers, for example. See the 1.5 minute interview here.

The TASER was promoted as “the first effective means of defense that does not destroy living tissue or vital organs.” There was very little muzzle velocity and it was compared to being hit with a Ping Pong ball. The company pointed out that there was a chance that the electricity could injure someone with a pacemaker or who suffers from heart disease, but there is “no weapon, technique, or procedure for subduing attackers or restraining crowds that does not involve some risk of injury.”

TASER 10

The company was headed towards bankruptcy in 1980 when the LAPD gave it a much needed shot in the arm. LAPD had rejected the TASER twice during the 1970’s but an officer involved shooting in 1979 made the department take a third look. Eula Love, a 39 year old widow in south central Los Angeles, was shot eight times by two officers. They originally responded to a dispute between her and a gas company representative over an unpaid bill of $22. The officers claimed that she “menaced” them with a knife before they opened fire. Although the officers were cleared of any wrongdoing, the department began to explore other less lethal options.

TASER X26P

In 2004, the X26 debuted which was lighter and 60% smaller than the M26. It came with a unique feature that records the date, time, and duration of the shock. This was added to protect the officer from false allegations. The company continues to design new products such as the X2, a two shot TASER which eliminates the need to reload, or their newest weapon and most effective, the TASER 7.

While the police use the excuse that they were having a private conversation with other officers in regard to the case (which is technically allowed), it shines a light on how easily body cameras can be manipulated. Even though there is no exact law preventing this, bringing this topic up in court is a good way for the defense to prove that nobody knows the true story due to the officer’s actions of muting their camera.

Body cameras are not mandated by the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, Plantation Police Department, Margate Police Department, Wilton Manors Police Department, Hollywood Police Department or Davie Police Department. Hollywood Police Department is the largest Broward County police Department that does not have body cameras.

In Broward County,  25% of law enforcement agencies do not have body worn cameras. The 6 cities and departments that don’t have body cameras include: Wilton Manors, Plantation, Margate, Hollywood, Coconut Creek and Davie (which also provides law enforcement for Southwest Ranches).

TASER 7

Sarasota Police Department will have 122 Axon 3 body cameras, similar to ones that other police departments use. Tasers are also included in this program. The total cost of the body camera program will be more than $3 million over a 5-year period, according to WWSB.

The Coral Springs Police Department first tested wearing body cameras in 2013, with their primary purpose of recording DUI investigations – cameras then became a part of the uniform for all officers in 2016.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office has also started wearing body cameras, with a policy similar to Fort Lauderdale. All cameras must be on while interacting with members of the public, but they can be turned off when necessary to make a member of the public feel more comfortable.

Jack Cover died in 2009 at the age of 88 from Alzheimer’s disease but he will forever be remembered for his innovative invention that forever changed law enforcement.

In 1990, Rick and Tom Smith bought their mother a gun for her birthday, but they began to wonder if there was a better alternative than a deadly weapon. They came up with the idea to revolutionize the  TASER so they bought the company and patent owned by Jack Cover. They subsequently employed Cover in their new company, AIR TASER, Inc. based in Scottsdale, AZ.

While driving in Weston, a man named Guillermo was pulled over for having windows that were tinted too dark. When talking to the police, the officers claimed that Guillermo smelled like weed. The police that pulled Guillermo over were actually undercover drug cops, and they were wearing body cameras during the entire interaction. The cops bullied Guillermo and tried to intimidate him into confessing that he had weed on him, but he called me instead to help get him out of the unfortunate situation. The body camera video caught the police officers violating Guillermo’s Miranda Rights, as they continued to ask him incriminating questions after he said that he wanted a lawyer. We were able to use this video to show that Guillermo was abused, as well as the fact that the police did not include their intimidation tactics in their police report. I was able to get Guillermo time served on a misdemeanor instead of the proposed felony, all because of the body camera video.

The company began to experiment with other devices such as the Auto TASER. An auto theft device that resembled The Club, it attaches to the steering wheel. The device emits a five second alarm when it detects that someone has entered the vehicle. After the alarm sounds, a jolt of electricity is administered to anyone that lingers near the steering wheel. It was endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police. But it also came with plenty of criticism, as one attorney remarked, “This is by far the most egregious example...of a product that allows people to take the law into their own hands.”

Body cameras are also great for the defense when the police lose evidence, putting the defendant at a disadvantage. Criminal Defense Attorneys are able to bring this to the attention of the jury, explaining that they would have had the opportunity to see what had happened if not for the police’s faulty use of their body cameras. When the body camera video depicts the same story told by the defendant, the video is useful to prove his or her innocence in court. The video is also especially beneficial for times when the police have lied in their reports or testimonies, providing evidence that can be used against the State.

The company’s first weapon, the Air  TASER, was designed to address the problems that hindered the original TASER invented by Cover. Instead of using gunpowder, the Air TASER used compressed air. This was a major change because the  TASER was no longer considered a firearm and therefore was free from regulation. The Air TASER also addressed the issue of criminal use by implementing “anti-felon” dots. When the TASER is deployed, small paper dots are ejected which contain the weapon’s serial number that can be traced back to the seller and buyer.

Taser for women

The TASER has become one of the most popular less-lethal options for law enforcement. According to Reuters, they are used by more than 90% of the roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Civilian demand for the weapon increased by 300% in 2020 compared to the previous year, mostly driven by social unrest and rising violent crime rates. That contributed to the largest TASER contract in history—a $20 million deal with an undisclosed customer. But as popular as the TASER has become, it is hard to imagine that it was mostly rejected by law enforcement. The TASER originally began as one man’s invention created in a garage. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy until two brothers turned it into a multi-million dollar industry.

After he acquired the patent, the TASER went into production with the hopes that it would be used by the airlines. However, when the airlines opted to go with searches and metal detectors, he turned his focus towards law enforcement as the first alternative to the gun. TASER unveiled their first weapon, named the “Public Defender” in March 1975 at a cost of $200.

In 1999, the company was renamed TASER  International. It also debuted a new model, the M26 TASER. This model was designed to resemble more of a handgun than a flashlight. It still maintained the 50,000 voltage but only for five seconds. Along with the “anti-felon” dots, it had an internal tracking device that kept track of the number of times the trigger was pulled. It had a button trigger instead of a firearm trigger and it came with yellow striping to distinguish it from a firearm and was equipped with laser sights. The TASER probes were extended to 21 feet from 15 feet. There were two versions, one for law enforcement and the other for the general public.

In 1970, he created TASER Systems, Inc. headquartered in City of Industry, California. The name TASER is an acronym derived from one of his favorite childhood books, “Tom Swift and his Electric Rifle.” The "A" was added for easier pronunciation. The 1911 story chronicles the adventures of Tom Swift and his rifle that shoots bolts of electricity.

In Coral Springs, Florida (the Coral Springs Police Department just got body cameras in 2020) there was a recent rough arrest that a civilian caught on camera. A civilian saw a man with his hands up, and filmed as they watched officers forcefully wrestle him to the ground. The civilian said that he filmed the interaction to bring to the Coral Springs Police Department, according to the Sun Sentinel, because he was concerned about excessive force.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said he has a plan “to install body cameras for the thousands of deputies who patrol our community and work to keep our neighborhoods safe,” in an email. “This technology is a game changer for your Sheriff’s office.”

Axon, TASER

Stun gun

At the end of the day, body cameras are recording devices that store audio and video files, making it up to the individual officer to go and upload all of the videos each day into the main evidence server. There is an abnormal amount of user error resulting in loss of footage, which could be the difference between the state filing charges against a person or not. While intimidating, body cameras are used to uncover the truth of police-community interactions. Remember that you ALWAYS have the right to ask a police officer about their body camera, and that their purpose is to make sure that members of the public are not taken advantage of.

In July 2018, I got a call from a man named Norbert, who said that he was arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in the South Florida area. Norbert was pulled over for failing to slow down next to an emergency vehicle, as well as rapidly accelerating at a green light. The police reported that Norbert was visibly drunk, with bloodshot eyes. Norbert agreed to complete DUI Field Sobriety Test Exercises, telling the police officer that he was bitten by a shark in his butt that impaired his walking abilities. Nevertheless, the police officers had Norbert complete Field Sobriety Exercises, which were altered due to his accident. Upon further examination of the body camera footage, it was clear to me that Norbert did not have bloodshot eyes and that his normal walk matched how he completed the exercises. I was able to use this footage in court, showing how the body camera footage did not match up to the police’s story. Because of my emphasis on the contradictory body camera video, Norbert was found not guilty in court.

“I think it’s a really great thing, nationally we are seeing the benefits of having body cameras,” a member of the Police Complaint Committee told ABC 7 WWSB. The member went on to say that body cameras benefit ‘both sides’ because it can exonerate a police officer, but it can also benefit community members.

During the 1960s, a new weapon was being developed that would immobilize but not kill a person. This new weapon was the TASER, invented by Jack Cover. Growing up in Chicago, he received his doctorate in physics from the University of Chicago. He trained as a nuclear physicist studying under Enrico Fermi, who created the first nuclear reactor and Edward Teller, “father of the hydrogen bomb.” During WWII, he served as an Army test pilot before becoming a NASA aerospace engineer where he assisted on the Apollo moon landing program. In his spare time, he was an avid inventor creating voice-activated switches, cooked food testers, and an electric toothbrush. But the TASER is what he will most be remembered for.

The LAPD became the largest police agency to use the  TASER and it was reported that it was used on average 2 to 3 times a day. While more police agencies began to use the  TASER, it was still not at the level that Cover had envisioned. Civilian sales were hampered by strict state and federal regulations. But in the early 1990’s, two brothers from Arizona would change all of that and turn Cover’s company into a multi-million dollar publicly owned company.

** Coral Springs Police has disabled embedding of this video since we posted it. If you’d like to see the video, this link will take you to the arrest video – both video the civilian took as well as the body camera video – posted on Coral Spring’s Police Facebook page.

States began to pass legislation banning the sale, possession, and manufacture of stun guns. With the restrictions by the federal and state governments, the company was losing money. They decided to change their focus audience from law enforcement to the general public. The  TASER was given a new name, the TF76.

Arrested in South Florida? You’re going to need a good criminal defense attorney you can trust. Schedule a free strategy session with any of our attorneys at Rossen L.aw Firm to learn about how we’ll fight your DUI charge and protect your rights..

While used as a means of documenting interactions between the police and the public, body cameras are not used to substitute an officer’s beliefs and perceptions from an event. A camera only captures the view from a particular person, and may not account for the entire situation and other participant’s perspectives. However, police officers are allowed to review their body camera footage before making a decision regarding a case.

Taser for sale

While the company had put together a great marketing program, it was met with much criticism. Doctors testified that the TASER posed major hazards to those suffering from heart related issues. It was for this reason that law enforcement mostly rejected it. After a brief trial period, a lieutenant from Akron, OH called the  TASER “a horrible device that should be banned from the marketplace.” However, some departments like Nashville praised it as an effective police weapon.

When police activate their body cameras, they ensure all events that transpire between themselves and a member of the public are recorded. This holds police officers accountable for their actions, as they can’t lie and make up events that are on video. Body Camera footage protects officers and civilians alike.

The TASER came under scrutiny by the federal and state governments. The TASER was being demonstrated at the International Security Conference in New York when the NYPD shut it down because the weapon was deemed a firearm and it required a permit under state law. Because the TASER used gunpowder to propel the darts, the ATF was able to classify it as a “Title II” weapon, putting it in the same category as tommy guns, bombs, and silencers. In 1977, after some modifications, it was reclassified as an ordinary firearm. This allowed more registered gun owners to purchase them, but the government still retained the power to regulate its use.

A third client that I was able to help fight his charges because of the body camera video is a man named Eric. When Eric was pulled over, the police officers found weed on him. Not just a little bit of weed but 5 pounds of weed.  Eric was looking at many years in jail.  The officers decided to detain Eric on the side of the road until the drug cops came, leaving him there longer than the time it would take to write a ticket. In the police report, the officers said that Eric was extremely nervous and his voice kept cracking when they would ask him questions. When I examined the body camera footage, there were many inconsistencies with the police report. Especially, Eric’s voice never cracked during the time that he talked to the police. I was able to use this video and the fact that Eric was detained unlawfully on the side of the road to prove that Eric was abused by the police. I filed a motion to suppress alleging this illegal conduct by the police.  On the day of the motion, the prosecutors offered a deal that was too good to pass up.  Eric agreed to a minor misdemeanor and moved on with his life.

TASER International became a publicly traded company in 2001. The company expanded into the body camera market in 2008. With that success, the company renamed itself Axon in 2017.

Broward Sheriff’s Office soon followed suit, and got body cameras in early 2016. At the time, the then Sheriff Scott Israel said body cameras were the right thing to do and said “We are a transparent agency…. We are not afraid of what goes on out in the street.” The plan piloted with 50 deputies across North Lauderdale, Central Broward, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach wearing cameras but had plans to extend to road patrol, K-9 units, motorcycles and special operations.

Current Sheriff Gregory Tony also says body cameras play an important role. All BSO deputies are required to activate cameras when going out on a call for service and when engaging with civilians.

When arrested or pulled over in the South Florida or Fort Lauderdale area, you have the right to ensure that a police officer’s body camera is on. You also have the right to ask the officer to turn off their body camera, but their compliance depends on how serious they feel the situation actually is. If you are arrested, you have the right to request the body camera footage in order to be prepared for court or other legal situations. For Broward County, footage costs $30 an hour for the police to review and redact the video.

In a statement, Coral Springs Police said “We take any matter seriously, especially ones that claim excessive force.” In an act of complete transparency, the department said, it released the civilian video and the Coral Springs Police body camera footage in a video on Facebook.