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Atlantic Beach police seek public’s opinion on body cams

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — Atlantic Beach police officers wear body cameras. Now after a year on the street, the city wants to know what taxpayers think about them.

The city recently released a survey seeking residents’ input on the cameras.

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The survey has nine questions for the public, including whether residents agree or disagree that police use of body-worn cameras is a step in the right direction.

There is even a question on whether they agree or disagree if body-worn video protects citizens against false accusations.

Atlantic Beach mayor Pro Tem Brittany Norris says the city came up with this idea to get insights from the public on their thoughts so far on this program.

The city rolled out body cameras last year.

Action News Jax told you about an Atlantic Beach police officer who was attacked by Jaden Perkins in 2020 outside of a Panera Bread store, but at the time the department didn’t have any body cameras.

Related: 19-year-old arrested, facing attempted second-degree murder charge following officer attack, police say

Perkins in July pleaded guilty to the attack and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

I asked Norris if this survey was any indication that the department would be without body cameras again.

“We are not looking at getting rid of body cameras — this is mainly us doing our due diligence to gather insight from the public,” says Norris.

I spoke with several residents in the community, who all say that having body cams in their community is a good thing.

“I think it’s good if they are trying to improve on how the community feels about the policing here and I think it’s good if they are doing a good thoughtful job about it,” says Nick Strate.

Bill Barnes, an Atlantic Beach resident, also agrees.

“It keeps a balance between power perspective between the police for and those being policed,” says Barnes.

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