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U.S. NEWS Thursday 27 July 2017

Minneapolis police chief tightens officer body camera policy

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Mohamed Noor after she
Associated Press called 911 on July 15 to
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Min- report hearing a possible
neapolis police officers will sexual assault behind her
be required to have their Minneapolis home. Noor’s
body cameras on when partner, Officer Matthew
they respond to calls and Harrity, told investigators he
make traffic stops, the was startled by a loud noise
acting police chief an- right before Damond ap-
nounced Wednesday, fol- proached their police SUV.
lowing widespread criticism Noor, who was in the pas-
that two officers involved in senger seat, shot Damond
the fatal shooting of a 911 through the driver-side win-
caller had not activated dow.
their cameras. Mayor Betsy Hodges ex-
The stricter requirements pressed frustration at the
will take effect Saturday, news conference that de-
Acting Police Chief Me- spite all the time, money
daria Arradondo said at a and energy the city has
news conference. Officers put into deploying body
who violate them could cameras, “we did not have
face discipline ranging body camera footage in
from one-day suspensions an incident where it mat-
to firing, he said. tered a great deal.”
“Many of our officers are us- Before she resigned at the
ing their cameras a lot, and mayor’s request last week, Acting Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announces that Minneapolis police will be required to
as they’re intended to be former police Chief Janee have their body cameras on when they respond to all calls, as well as in certain other situations
used,” he said. “But there Harteau said the officers’ during a news conference on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 in Minneapolis. The acting police chief
are some officers, quite cameras should have been made the announcement amid the investigation into an officer’s fatal shooting of Justine Damond
frankly, that are not using on. an Australian woman who called 911 for help on July 15. (David Joles /Star Tribune via AP)
them nearly enough.” Minneapolis launched a
Justine Damond, a 40-year- body camera pilot proj-
old spiritual teacher and ect in November 2014, just Brown in the St. Louis suburb to roll out the technology cameras have been de-
bride-to-be from Austra- months after the fatal po- of Ferguson, Missouri. Min- throughout the depart- ployed department-wide
lia, was shot by Officer lice shooting of Michael nesota’s largest city began ment last summer and the for about eight months.q
2 Nebraska officers face assault charges in man’s death

By MARGERY A. BECK captured the altercation Some of the blows came kicked off an interstate bus was taken to a hospital,
Associated Press officers Scotty Payne and after Bearheels was on going from South Dakota to where he was pronounced
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Ryan McClarty had with the ground and not resist- his home state, according dead.
Omaha police officers will 29-year-old Zachary Bear- ing. Kleine said he would to his family. Police were Matthew Burns, an attorney
face assault charges in the heels at an Omaha con- charge Payne with sec- responding to a report of a for Payne, said his client is
death of a mentally ill man venience store. Kleine said ond-degree assault, a felo- man causing a disturbance hoping that bail is set low
who was shocked with a he wouldn’t file more seri- ny punishable by up to 20 who would not leave when enough that he can be
stun gun a dozen times and ous charges against the years in prison. they encountered Bear- released on Friday, when
repeatedly punched, even officers because a coroner He said he’s charging Mc- heels. Kleine said Bear- he’s set to turn himself in to
after he was on the ground, could not directly link their Clarty with third-degree as- heels “had committed no police.
a Nebraska prosecutor said actions to the Oklahoma sault, a misdemeanor pun- crimes.” “He feels awful,” Burns said
Wednesday. man’s death. ishable by up to one year Police have said Bearheels of Payne. “He’s not a bad
Douglas County Attorney Police cruiser video shows in prison. was acting erratically and person. He didn’t set out
Don Kleine made the an- Payne using a stun gun to Bearheels, a Native Ameri- fought officers’ efforts to that day to go to work with
nouncement while re- shock Bearheels and Mc- can from Oklahoma, was take him into custody. After the intent to hurt anyone.”
vealing police video that Clarty punching Bearheels. lost in Omaha after being the altercation, Bearheels q