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150 more officers on Hawaii island outfitted with body-worn cameras

Police across Hawaii island have been outfitted with body-worn cameras this week, the Hawaii Police Department announced today.

In a final roll out, nearly 150 patrol, traffic enforcement and community policing officers in the South Kohala, North Kohala, Kau and Hamakua districts started wearing the cameras today as part of the police department’s “continuing efforts to enhance professionalism and provide transparency to the community.”

Some 300 total officers throughout the island have now been trained and outfitted with the Axon Body 2 cameras, which are used by other law enforcement agencies around the country.

“Officers will activate the cameras when they have contact with the public, such as on traffic stops, during arrests, or while responding to a call,” the police department said in a news release. “They will stop the recording once they are done with that incident. Officers will use their discretion in instances where a victim requests not to be on camera and may turn it off if asked. However, if the situation requires their taking law enforcement action, the camera will remain on.”

All video from the cameras will be kept for a minimum of two years, and those associated with a case can be kept for as long as necessary.

Members of the public involved in an police incident can receive a copy of the footage from the encounter via a formal request to the police chief’s office.

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