Ever since May 31, 2019, Building 2 at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center has remained empty after a gunman opened fire, killing 12 people. But not for much longer.
and last updated 2021-07-27 18:39:10-04
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia Beach Police Officers will now have in-car cameras to their marked fleet in addition to every sworn officer now having a body camera.
The Virginia Beach Police Department released a video explaining the new rollout.
In the video, Captain William Zelms says 250 patrol vehicles will now have this technology so that overall the public can have faith and confidence in the department.
The in-car cameras interact with the body camera technology that they have already employed.
Officers now have a wider angle lens, which is needed when officers conduct a traffic stop. There will actually be two cameras installed. The first is a front view camera that faces the front of the patrol vehicle the second is a rear seat camera which gives them a wide-angle vantage point of the entire back seat and anything or anyone they place inside of it.
Virginia Beach Police change body camera policy
By: Arianna Herriott
and last updated 2021-05-07 12:16:17-04
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach Police Department has announced changes to their body camera policy about a month after the fatal shooting of Donovon Lynch involving an officer that didn t have his camera activated at the time.
The department s new policy states as soon as an officer is en route, they must activate their body camera. The old policy stated that an officer only had to activate the camera once they were on scene.
The only time the body cameras can be turned off and not on standby mode is when an officer is at the jail, precinct or on break.
Virginia Beach Police update body camera policy; officers must activate camera en route to call
VBPD Body Cam Policy & Training video
and last updated 2021-05-05 10:47:33-04
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia Beach Police Department has released a video explaining their body camera policy and training.
In the video, Captain William Zelms explains how the department is now completely through all four phases of the body camera rollout plan. He says they are in the process of ensuring every sworn personnel has a body camera. As of now, only the department s 450 patrol officers have body cameras.
The department has now implemented a new policy that as soon as an officer is en route, they must activate their body camera. The older policy stated that an officer only had to activate the camera once they were on scene.