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The police shooting of a Fort Smith man is making national headlines because it was captured by an on-officer camera. 5NEWS looks at why the Sebastian County prosecutor, the chief of police, and the Axon system's maker, Taser International say the technology is unprecedented.
Police released the video Monday night tape after the officers involved were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. Taser's newest technology has been at the core of the case since the November 11th shooting. We look at why police work may never be the same.
"Clearly this technology is not just a step forward it is a quantum leap as far as an investigative tool," Prosecutor Daniel Shue told 5NEWS.
Corporal Brandon Davis was wearing the Axon on-officer recorder November 11th when he shot and killed 41-year-old Eric Berry. Berry refused to drop a handgun he aimed at officers. The video was a key piece of evidence used to clear Davis in the case. This is a first for law enforcement in Arkansas, if not the nation.
"I've never seen the likes of this tape," Shue said.
Sebastian County Prosecutor Daniel Shue also believes that the cameras could change the way people react to police.
"This will make I think for more polite encounters with police knowing that you're being taped," he said.
Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey says video and audio evidence that supports a case is valuable both to the officer and the courts. The department is one of few testing the technology for Taser International. He says they will continue evaluating the system for another few weeks for the company.
"We will also make a decision on whether or not we will go with this system or one of the other in-car camera systems that are available for use by the department on a full scale," Chief Lindsey said.
While officers will take the footage from the berry shooting into consideration, it is not the determining factor as to whether or not the department decides to employ the Axon technology.
Taser International Founder and Chairman Tom Smith had this to say in a statement released by the company:
"Although the outcome of this incident is tragic, we are proud the Axon video was helpful in the investigation of this event in order to protect the truth of what actually happened...This video clearly demonstrates the power of the axon on-officer camera..."
Shue says he sees this type of technology as the future of law enforcement. He expects police, military and security personnel will embrace it.
Police released the video Monday night tape after the officers involved were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. Taser's newest technology has been at the core of the case since the November 11th shooting. We look at why police work may never be the same.
"Clearly this technology is not just a step forward it is a quantum leap as far as an investigative tool," Prosecutor Daniel Shue told 5NEWS.
Corporal Brandon Davis was wearing the Axon on-officer recorder November 11th when he shot and killed 41-year-old Eric Berry. Berry refused to drop a handgun he aimed at officers. The video was a key piece of evidence used to clear Davis in the case. This is a first for law enforcement in Arkansas, if not the nation.
"I've never seen the likes of this tape," Shue said.
Sebastian County Prosecutor Daniel Shue also believes that the cameras could change the way people react to police.
"This will make I think for more polite encounters with police knowing that you're being taped," he said.
Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey says video and audio evidence that supports a case is valuable both to the officer and the courts. The department is one of few testing the technology for Taser International. He says they will continue evaluating the system for another few weeks for the company.
"We will also make a decision on whether or not we will go with this system or one of the other in-car camera systems that are available for use by the department on a full scale," Chief Lindsey said.
While officers will take the footage from the berry shooting into consideration, it is not the determining factor as to whether or not the department decides to employ the Axon technology.
Taser International Founder and Chairman Tom Smith had this to say in a statement released by the company:
"Although the outcome of this incident is tragic, we are proud the Axon video was helpful in the investigation of this event in order to protect the truth of what actually happened...This video clearly demonstrates the power of the axon on-officer camera..."
Shue says he sees this type of technology as the future of law enforcement. He expects police, military and security personnel will embrace it.
