KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The City Auditor's Office has started an audit of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department's body-worn camera program.
The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council directed City Auditor Douglas Jones to conduct an audit of the over 800 body-worn cameras by KCPD patrol officers, according to a news release from Jones' office.
Body-worn cameras were deployed in six KCPD patrol divisions as well as the Traffic Enforcement and Special Operations divisions between November 2020 and April 2021.
In the release, the City Auditor's Office said the objectives of the audit are "to evaluate whether police officers are using body-worn cameras in accordance with department policies and identify recommended practices that would enhance the department’s body-worn camera policy."
"Body-worn camera videos can be used to promote transparency, increase accountability, and discourage inappropriate behaviors by both officers and the public," the release said. "Many Kansas Citians have asked the mayor and council for patrol officers in the Kansas City Police Department to be outfitted with body-worn cameras."
Jones will present the Scope Statement of his audit at the City Council meeting Thursday and to the Board of Police Commissioners during their meeting on Tuesday.
The anticipated release of this audit report is April 2022.
