Palm Beach Gardens Adding Body Cameras In Light Of Corey Jones Shooting
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
PALM BEACH GARDENS (CBSMiami) -- Palm Beach Gardens Police will be getting body cameras sometime this year after a unanimous vote at a city council meeting Thursday.
The measure was approved 5-0 for a $262,000 purchase of gear and equipment to be used by the police force, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
The decision comes after the death of Corey Jones, who was shot by a plain-clothed officer in October who pulled up alongside Jones' broken-down vehicle. It was late at night and Jones was armed with a gun when the officer fired several shots but Jones did not fire back.
Jones' death continued a national debate about equipping officers with body cameras in an effort to keep the relationship between police and citizens transparent.
Dozens of people, police and community leaders gathered at the meeting.
In the wake of Jones' death, members of the community proposed "Corey's Law," requiring body cameras for all officers and offering instruction for non-uniformed officers in approaching the public. The proposal is expected to be introduced in the Florida Legislature in 2016.