Michigan DNR resists bill to require body cameras for conservation officers

LANSING — As Michigan State Police troopers move toward mandatory body cameras, counterparts at the Department of Natural Resources are opposing legislation to require them for conservation officers.

“There’s one policing agency in the state of Michigan who refuses to allow their officers to wear a body camera, and that is the Department of Natural Resources,” Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain, said Tuesday during debate about his bill to mandate the cameras.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say these reduce frivolous lawsuits. Somebody alleges that the DNR did or said something wildly inappropriate, we go to court and if we got the footage, that shuts a lawsuit down quicker.”

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The Michigan State Police this year vowed to install body cameras by year’s end after a study found racial discrepancies in traffic stops. The state House on Jan. 27 voted 71-31 to require them for DNR officers who enforce laws related to state parks, fish and wildlife, trails and forests, as well as other outdoor activities.

DNR Director Dan Eichinger said he’s not opposed to bodycams, but contended the bill lacks guidance on funding, officer liability and maintenance. 

“There aren’t any decisions that have been made nor is there a decision that is imminent about whether we will or will not recommend or require our officers to wear body cameras,” Eichinger said. 

“Being opposed to a piece of legislation is not equivalent to being opposed to body cameras. I don’t oppose transparency.”

Eichinger said the bill fails to answer questions about the management of body camera information, how to make data available during legal proceedings, and how to fund the equipment and storage.

The DNR does not have the staff or money to equip conservation officers with body cameras, and the bill does not provide the DNR with funding, according to the House Fiscal Agency.

Executive Director of Michigan United Conservation Club Amy Trotter, which represents more than 40,000 anglers and hunters, said the organization does not have a stance on the issue. 

Seven states now mandate their law enforcement officers use body cameras on duty: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Carolina. 

Effectiveness of body cameras debated

Calls to mandate body cameras have intensified in recent years following the murders of numerous Black civilians at the hands of police. But mounting evidence indicates the cameras are not a panacea.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the main reasons local police and sheriffs’ offices invest in body cameras are safety, agency liability and evidence. But a January report by the National Institute of Justice says research does not show that body cameras did not help agencies reach those goals.

“While it is clear that video footage, including body camera footage, has played an important role in driving forward the conversation about police accountability, the evidence on whether body cameras are an effective tool for actually delivering police accountability is mixed at best,” the ACLU concluded in a 2021 report.

The civil-liberties group cited a review of 70 studies that found the use of body cameras did not reduce the use of force by police. 

Reports show that in some cities, like Phoenix, body cameras did not reduce the use of force and civilian resistance. Other cities including Las Vegas reported body camera use resulted in shorter case processing times and more arrests.

Cost concerns

Cost could be an issue in Michigan.

Generally, states apply for grants that can cover between 30 percent and 50 percent of annual equipment costs and digital storage. Connecticut created a $10 million grant program to fund law enforcement-worn body cameras. 

But without state funding programs, some towns and cities can’t afford to put a body camera on all their officers. Buying body cameras is not a one-time investment, thousands of dollars are needed to store footage in the cloud and hire extra personnel to handle public records.

Axon body cameras, used by most major cities, can cost anywhere from $449 to $649 and should be replaced every five years.

The Michigan DNR has 250 conservation officers, which means it would take between $112,250 to $162,250 to equip them with cameras. That cost doesn’t include accessories or information storage.

LaFave estimates it will cost $250,000 to purchase the equipment and an annual $250,000 to maintain the program.