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Baltimore Police to Begin Wearing Body Cameras in May

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BALTIMORE (AP) - Hundreds of Baltimore police officers will start wearing body cameras while on patrol in May.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced at a news conference Thursday that the city is finalizing an $11.6 million contract with Taser International that includes 2,500 cameras and storage.

The cameras will be deployed in five phases through January 2018. Rawlings-Blake says the company will also store footage from transport van cameras.

The deal goes to the Board of Estimates next week for final approval. Departments nationwide are being urged to use cameras in light of several fatal shootings by police.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.