Video: More Changes To Columbus Body Camera Policy

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Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) — The Columbus police department announced more changes to their body camera use policy Tuesday.

All video recorded from the cameras will now be retained for at least one year.

Videos that were labeled “no charge”, or when an arrest wasn’t made or an incident didn’t occur, were being permanently removed by the system’s auto-deletion six days after the recording was placed on file.

Critical videos, such as shootings or domestic issues, are being stored from five years to “forever”.

Patrol vehicles will also now be equipped with a USB cord that will charge the body cameras while an officer is on duty.

Interim Police Chief Fred Shelton said the move is to help officers keep their cameras constantly charged.

“Not only are the officers going to be trained, but they’re going to have to demonstrate what they have been trained to make sure that they effectively have that training…”, said Shelton.

Shelton also said the new officers are required to train on their skills on an annual basis, and there is a possibility they will change that requirement to quarterly.