The Community Oversight Board welcomes the news that Mayor Cooper has heard the clarion call of the Nashville community and will fully implement body and in-car cameras. We encourage city leadership to keep the implementation process completely transparent by involving the community’s voice early and often and communicating clear timelines and status reports on a regular basis.
This morning’s announcement is just the first step of many, and each subsequent step will require intentional community involvement. Full deployment of body-worn and in-car cameras for the Police Department is a noteworthy achievement. Previously, the Police Department released policies governing body worn cameras and in-car cameras in February prior to the pilot program. As the cameras are fully rolled out the Oversight Board will continue to advocate for policies and procedures that maximize benefits for the safety of the community. The Oversight Board expects and stands ready to be a full partner in success of this deployment and of our city.
Since its inception, the Oversight Board has identified body-worn and in-car cameras as a step in the right direction; however, we want to be clear that this is not the sole solution that will change organizational culture and fix systemic problems that have existed for decades, even centuries. The reform necessary requires dedication and a multi-layered approach that is built on a foundation of accountability, transparency and communication.
The Oversight Board will continue to steadfastly promote the voice and values of the Nashville community, and we look forward to partnering with Mayor Cooper, Chief Anderson, and their respective leadership teams as we work together to create a Nashville community built on equity and justice.
With full cooperation and engaged collaboration from city leaders, it is our hope that Nashville will set the standard on how change can take place if we work together.