Shooting highlights lack of body cams among Portland police

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A video that shows a portion of the a recent deadly police shooting in Portland has circulated on social media and evening news broadcasts.

But the image was captured by bystanders, not officers — as Portland is one of the few major U.S. cities where police are not required to use body cameras.

Police have been tight-lipped, citing an ongoing investigation, and the only video from the scene — 11 minutes of footage taken by bystanders — shows just a portion of what happened.

For years, city leaders and police have advocated for the use of the devices, saying they promote accountability and transparency. But officials say the department lacks the funds following city leaders' decision last year to cut millions from the bureau’s budget amid calls for reform.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell says body cameras are a “good tool” and can bring clarity to certain incidents.

“There’s a lot of agencies that have them, and they help them in situations like this and also just call-taking, even crowd control, public order-type events,” Lovell said Tuesday.

Body-worn cameras are becoming a police standard nationwide, and have been acquired by over 80% of departments with more than 500 officers, according to 2016 U.S. Justice Department statistics.

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