An effort to use body cameras on Seattle cops is slowly gaining momentum following a rash of controversial police altercations, the most recent of which was the shooting death of John T. Williams by a police officer.

Seattle Council Member Bruce Harrell told The Stranger yesterday that a pilot program to install body cameras on Seattle Police Department officers could debut as early as next year if the mayor includes funding for it in his proposed city budget on Monday. "I hope he has ample money in it to support body cameras," Harrell said. "A lot of community activists and organizations, including the NAACP, are asking for it." He added that the city would have to negotiate the body cameras with the Seattle Police Officers Guild, which is considering the plan, before implementing them.

Already, SPD brass have committed to a pilot purchase of forty cameras; however, that would outfit only a small fraction of the force's 1,350 sworn officers. Harrell said that this would be part of the pilot. The mounted body cameras would each cost about $900.

If it receives the funding to begin the program—possibly a long shot given next year's projected $67 million shortfall—SPD could try out ear-mounted cameras by Taser and the body-mounted cameras by VEIVU during the pilot to see which one police officers feel most comfortable with, Harrell said. SPD is no stranger to body cameras. A previous stint with the technology raised the hackles of the ACLU over privacy concerns and was finally abandoned when the police guild complained.

Harrell said that things have changed since then, with the Williams' shooting underscoring the need to have technology that can reconstruct the sequence of events. Oakland recently approved legislation to have its entire police force mounted with body cameras. "This technology will enhance transparency and provide impartial evidence when controversial incidents occur,” Harrell said.

Oakland replaced its dashboard cameras for body cameras for $540,000. Harrell said it made sense to do the same with Seattle's aging police car cameras.

UPDATE: Council Member Harrell's office said that he wanted to see 40 to 100 body cameras in the pilot program. According to his office, none of the pilot cameras are guaranteed at this point and have to go through the budget process as well as union negotiations.