ST. JOHNSBURY- St. Johnbsury Police Officers have been wearing body cameras to document their daily duties for years. Lawmakers in Burlington are in debate over an expansion project, which would require the distribution of body cameras to all officers in Vermont.
Caledonia County Sherriff, Dean Shatney, says it helps keep the department and the public on the same page.
An incident that took place in Dallas, Texas is an example of how body cameras can provide evidence for, or against, officers.
In the summer of 2014, a Dallas Officer fatally injured Jason Harrison, a mentally ill black man. Video evidence proved that Harrison was unlawfully shot by the officer, resulting in a lawsuit against the police department.
"For someone to just go from zero to 100 the way these guys did," says Sean Harrison, the victims bother, "I just don't want to believe that that's gonna be acceptable here in Dallas, Texas."
The push for the expansion project is to prevent similar instances here in Vermont.
"If there is ever an issue," says Shatney, "they can go to the video and sort it out accordingly."