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Process taking longer than expected to equip Pittsburgh police officers with body cams

Target 11 uncovered new information about problems with body cameras for Pittsburgh police officers.

There have been a few setbacks and delays but the city is pushing ahead with plans to outfit officers with body cameras. The police officers’ union, however, still has a lot of questions.

The police officers involved in the deadly shooting in Homewood on Sunday were not wearing body cameras, even though the city had said that hundreds of officers would have them by the end of last year.

“I can tell you I’ve spoken with at least one of the officers involved and he said he wishes he had one,” said police union President Bob Swartzwelder.

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The department had expected to outfit 400 patrol officers by the end of last year but the public safety director said the process is taking longer than expected.The department hasn't been able to get all of the cameras, and legislation that allows officers to record in a home without violation wiretap laws was delayed.

“That legislation has been passed and that put us back several months because we did not want to come out with police and then have to redact those policies,” said Public Safety director Wendell Hissrich.

But the city may face another hurdle, the union is threatening to file an unfair labor practice if they city doesn't negotiate the use of body cams.

“It's a material change to our uniform and it must be bargained. We've raised that issue with command and we've made no headway on that,” said Swartzwelder.

The union also contends that there are better cameras on the market. They said certain cameras activate automatically -- for instance, at the sound of a gunshot -- but the city purchased cameras that must be activated by the officer.

“So, if the officer fails because he's trying to defend his own life he may not capture it anyway,” Swartzwelder said.

About 140 motorcycle and bike cops have been testing the body cameras, and officers in Zone 3 in Allentown have them as well.

The plan is to get them to all officers in about six months.