Monday letters: Add cameras to paddy wagons

In light of the tragic events involving the arrest and transport of Freddie Gray by the Baltimore Police Department, S.C. police agencies that are large enough to have vehicles dedicated to prisoner transport should install cameras in their paddy wagons to monitor prisoners in case they require medical assistance or endanger themselves.

It would probably be a good idea to point out to the prisoners that their behavior is being monitored and to tell them they will be charged with additional crimes and required to replace the cameras if they damage them. A wide-angle lens that covers the entire compartment would serve best, as it isn’t necessary to have crystal clear imagery to identify the prisoner as records would show who was in the vehicle at a specific time.

Many departments already employ cameras to monitor the prisoners in the back seats of their cruisers, so it wouldn’t be that expensive to add them to transport vehicles. However, the all-metal construction could prove much more lethal to both a prisoner and the careers of the police involved in the transport should it go awry. It might be safer to strap them to an EMT-style full-length backboard.

Columbia

This story was originally published May 23, 2015 at 7:11 PM.