The mayor of Springfield says he wants police officers to start wearing body cameras next year.
The State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/1w5F2P8 ) Mayor Mike Houston said Tuesday he'd like to allocate up to $200,000 in the next budget year for wearable cameras. The small cameras would attach to officers' uniforms and record interactions with the public. Videos could be used to review incidents, especially if an officer were accused of inappropriate behavior or excessive force.
Houston says cameras would protect both officers and the public. He says Springfield is in the process of adding dash-mounted cameras to new police cars.
The mayor says the camera initiatives started before an unarmed black 18-year-old was killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, last month. Houston is running for re-election next spring.