Montgomery Co. Police: New Body Cameras Defuse Situations

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County police say wearing body cameras has been beneficial despite some challenges.

Capt. Paul Liquorie says the cameras tend to de-escalate situations. Liquorie told the County Council's Public Safety Committee that the cameras also give officers detailed looks at car crash scenes and are useful when collecting evidence in a hurry.

The cameras aren't foolproof, though. When police are in a crowded or noisy area, the footage and audio can be disrupted by the shouts and bodies of others. In addition, people tend to leave investigation scenes when told they're being recorded.

According to Liquorie, officers are instructed to keep their cameras running until a situation ends or until a supervisor tells them to turn them off.