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| The recent events in Ferguson, MO and New York City have put an emphasis on police departments around the country to improve their procedures, including their procedures for internal regulation and investigation. There have been many suggestions put forth by police officials and citizens alike, but one suggestion in particular is gaining some traction: body cameras.
Body cameras, which, as the name suggests, are cameras attached to a police officer’s person, are being put forth as a possible solution to the increasingly contentious issues of police brutality and public transparency. Police departments already use cameras for police vehicles but body cameras, so far, have not been used (with a few exceptions). Now, things are changing. Because of recent public outcry against police actions in Ferguson and New York (among other places), police departments around the country are warming up to the idea of using body cameras. In fact, the Detroit Police Department is already putting them to use. Detroit Police Commissioner James Craig announced on January 6th that his department will conduct a second trial-run of body cameras for its officers. Having already conducted a 30-day trial involving 18 police officers, Craig claims that the body cameras are a success and will aid police officers in verifying their actions. The second trial already has the support of Craig and Detroit’s mayor, Mike Duggan, and is expected to involve at least 30 officers. Detroit, which has the highest murder rate of any city in the U.S., has been going through drastic financial constraints ever since the near-collapse and eventual bailout of Detroit-based auto industries such as Ford and General Motors. Detroit was forced to declare bankruptcy and as a result was compelled to cut considerable government programs and services, including the police department and ambulance services. Detroit’s financial situation was so dire that last year, Craig suggested that Detroit citizens arm themselves in order to compensate for the city’s limited reduced presence. In a city where one out of 20 homes are likely to be robbed, his suggestion garnered considerable controversy but, in a dismal way, was also somewhat reasonable. Detroit’s use of body cameras will hopefully be a successful alternative to Craig’s suggestion of self-armament. Law enforcement already have great success with the in-car cop camera, which enables police officers to show the public their procedures, and increases public confidence in local police. |
Category: Uncategorized
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In Car Police Cameras: Keeping the Public and the Police Safe
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Police Chief Announces Second Trial of Body Cameras
In recent months, body cameras have become a popular topic across the United States. Due to highly publicized reports of police brutality across the country, from Ferguson, MO to Dallas, TX, these devices have emerged as a way to promote accountability among law enforcement professionals. Supporters even argue that the cameras would give officers the ability to review and critique their performance in dangerous situations, allowing them to improve their safety techniques. Now, the Detroit Police Department appears to be putting these theories to the test.In an interview with the Detroit News on Tuesday, January 6, Police Chief James Craig said that volunteers from the department would be taking body cameras on a second test run. In April, 18 police officers and two supervisors took part in a 30-day pilot program. Craig called the first trial a success and announced that 30 officers would be taking part in a new trial. The test run is reportedly being planned by Mayor Mike Duggan in conjunction with the Detroit Police Department. “The mayor is committed, as I am committed, to using them to enhance officer safety and have a positive impact on mitigating allegations of misconduct,” Craig told The Detroit News.”Body cameras can also enhance transparency with the community.”
A representative for Mayor Duggan confirmed that he is interested in testing how body cameras would affect Detroit. However, the spokesman said that the test program is still in the early stages. Funding options are also reportedly being explored.
The first trial program demonstrated at least one way body cameras might be used to help Detroit’s police officers. According to department officials, one of the officers who volunteered for the program was involved in an incident in which force was used to restrain a citizen. The volunteer’s body camera was later used to prove that the officer’s actions were justified.
If instituted, body cameras could have a significant impact on the city’s crime levels: studies show that while crime rates in Detroit have dropped by as much as 16% over the course of 2014, the area is still ranked as one of the most violent urban environments in the U.S. Body cameras could become a vital tool, helping police collect evidence that could be used to prosecute a litany of offenses.
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Months After Summertime Flooding, 900 Detroit Households Still in Need of Aid
It’s estimated that America’s HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) industry employs as many as 301,123 workers — but even that might not be enough to help homeowners in the Detroit metropolitan area get back on their feet after August’s record flooding.
“Everything has not been resolved,” Cheryl Tipton, outreach chairwoman at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Detroit, told the Detroit News. “People still have things that have not been repaired or replaced.”
As the basement is a common place to store furnaces and air conditioning systems, the approximately 900 Detroit households still recovering from last summer’s water damage will likely need a good deal of HVAC repair work done as well.
That’s why Tipton, along with a group of other Detroit-based faith and community leaders, have been coming together to do what they can for these 900 households.
“We’re pooling together our resources to help those that have needs to come in and do the work,” Robbin Rivers, vice chairwoman of outreach ministries at St. Paul’s, said. “It’s not a hand out. It’s help.”
Tipton and Rivers have both been learning about how to help by attending various workshops on disaster management and flood relief. They also received briefing on emotional and spiritual care.
The volunteers’ aid is especially crucial at this point in time — the deadline for those affected by the summer’s flooding to apply for financial aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) passed in mid-December, meaning hundreds of Detroit residents have nowhere else to turn for help. More than 126,000 people initially applied for FEMA aid throughout the Detroit area, receiving a cumulative $140.2 million in grants.
As the volunteers from St. Paul’s and other organizations like Church World Service get to work, they will face mold remediation concerns, flooded basements and more — but it will all be for a good cause. -
Work-Related Death Tally in Michigan Should Prompt Internal Safety Reviews, Expert Advises
Most businesses attempt to balance their own safety responsibilities with expectations that employees will look out for themselves. But business owners have many incentives to prioritize safety in the workplace.
“Naturally you expect your employees (and yourself) to follow good safety practices in the workplace. That’s a given,” John Hall wrote for the Examiner Dec. 23. “Sadly, not everyone takes the time to understand the consequences of poor safety habits. Every year in Michigan, dozens of people lose their lives and many hundreds more are injured while on the job.”
On-the-job injuries and fatalities are also rising many places as the economy recovers and people re-enter the workforce, sometimes in high-risk jobs.
The long lists of safety requirements enacted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are at times seen as onerous or overly picky. OSHA requires, for example, that battery rooms be ventilated in certain ways so as to prevent hazards.
But the costs of workplace accidents are undeniable, both in tragic personal loss and in business expenses.
According to OSHA’s Michigan branch, 73 workers died in work-related accidents in 2014 (as of Dec. 22). Violations can also result in hefty fines for employers.
Stronger Reporting Standards
Hall, a small business expert, recommends that all businesses in the state prioritize safety as the new year approaches. “In light of this information [about fatal accidents in Michigan], it might be a good idea to review your business’ safety program and look for areas to improve,” he advises. Particular attention should be paid, he says, to areas that are commonly cited by OSHA.Federally, the most-cited violations recorded by OSHA fell into these top 10 categories in 2014: ladders; electrical, wiring methods; machine guarding; electrical, general requirements; fall protection; hazard communication GHS (globally harmonized system); scaffolding; respiratory protection; powered industrial trucks; and lockout/tagout.
Business owners should also know that starting Dec. 1, new OSHA reporting rules will go into effect: “Although most workplaces are far safer today than in the past, terrible accidents do occur, and the agency is implementing some broader reporting requirements for employers,” The Detroit News reported Dec. 8.
The requirements expand the list of injuries that employers with 10 or more employees must report to federal regulators, and requires that reports be made within eight hours of the incident in question. Any work-related hospitalization, amputation or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours. Under the old rules, employers were only required to report hospitalizations of multiple employees due to the same workplace accident or illness.
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Detroit Snow Removal Professionals Buying Extra Rock Salt in Preparation for Snowy Winter
Snow removal contractors all around Detroit are stockpiling road salt in anticipation of another severe winter, and prices are growing as supplies are dwindling.
“We were proactive this year in getting salt, so we ordered basically the same amount that we used last year, had that ordered and delivered in August — which is very early for us,” John Baker, the owner of Metro Detroit Landscaping, told the local CBS station. “Normally, we wouldn’t get it until November, but there was already a shortage going into this season. We didn’t want to be caught without having it for our customers.”
In an average winter, Baker uses about 1,000 tons of road salt. He’s purchased 1,500 tons for this year.
Baker said he was able to buy his salt from the Niagara Falls area in Canada. But other contractors throughout the Midwest are saying that they’ve needed to look as far abroad as Morocco and Egypt for their supplies.
In November, Michigan Live reported that the Michigan Department of Transportation was preparing for a road salt price increase of up to 46%. “If we use the same amount as last year, the total bill for salt could top $40 million,” said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle.
But he said that MDOT won’t be cutting back, since salt is an important safety measure for public roads.
Road Salt at Home
Homeowners may also be looking to salt to help manage snowy or icy paved areas at home. But experts warn that salt can seep into the soil and affect plants, trees and other vegetation. Elevated sodium levels can cause shorter roots and subsequent problems with nutrient absorption.If salt does get into planted areas, they’ll need extra care in the spring. “The winter’s damage can be seen in the spring. If you suspect rock salt has entered the soil near or around your plants, shrubs or trees, water the soil heavily in the spring to leach the salt out the soil,” June Fuerderer explained Dec. 21 in The Keene Sentinel.
Angie Hicks of Angie’s List suggested in a Dec. 19 article for the Detroit News that homeowners choose calcium magnesium acetate instead of rock salt (sodium chloride), since the former won’t cause toxic soil conditions. The downside, she notes, is that it can cost 10 times as much.
Hicks also laid out some snow removal tips. It’s important, she reminded homeowners, to use lightweight ergonomic snow shovels in order to decrease the risk of injury. Snow shovels should also be used to push, rather than lift, snow.
Given the risk that exertion can pose in cold weather, people in poor health should consider hiring plowing services instead, she recommends. Members on Angie’s List say they pay, on average, $64 per service or $424 annually.