Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill says after what happened in Ferguson, Mo., more law enforcement agencies should be equipped with body-mounted cameras.
"I believe with today's technology, body cams on police officers not only protect members of the community from somebody who might be overreacting, but it really protects police officers, also," says McCaskill, who was in town Wednesday visiting a Kansas City manufacturing company.
McCaskill says she would support legislation requiring the cameras for all police departments that receive federal funding.
"Everyone has cameras now, and someone might tape the end of an altercation with a police officer and not tape the beginning, and you might get a completely wrong impression of how that event took place," says McCaskill.
Local governments that do not receive federal funding for law enforcement should still be allowed to make their own determination on body-mounted cameras, McCaskill says.
The Missouri Democrat is planning to hold hearings next month to review federal programs that allow local police to buy surplus military equipment. McCaskill says she's not sure small forces really need all the hazard equipment they have now.
