Baltimore City Makes Drastic Improvements Inside Police Vans

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- So many questions still surround the in-custody death of Freddie Gray. Now, the city is taking a critical step forward to improve the safety of people inside police transport vans.

Meghan McCorkell has more on the important changes.

The city is poised to approve spending to put video cameras inside all 23 police vans, a tool that may have answered some of those questions.

On April 12, 2015, Freddie Gray was arrested and placed inside a police transport van. By the time he arrived at the police station, he was unresponsive.

Six officers are now charged in his death, but the question still remains: what happened inside that police van?

Now the city is set to approve a contract to put video cameras inside all police vans.

"Having the cameras inside the van eliminates this gray area that we currently have," said Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott.

In-vehicle video cameras will record inside the city's 23 transport vans.

"We need to bring that transparency to light and let people know that they're safe when they're being transported," said Baltimore City Councilmember May Pat Clarke.

Just last month, the city approved a plan to change the design inside police vans. That includes removing the center wall dividers in vans, turning bench seats into bucket seats and adding a side door to vans.

"It was decided that we need to make some changes in our transport vehicles and for one reason specifically: safety," said Baltimore City Police Lt. Jarron Jackson.

The city has paid out millions to people injured inside police vans, including more than $7 million to the family of Dondi Johnson. He died in 2005 after he fell and snapped his neck in the back of a police van.

"Unfortunately, it's important because so much has happened in these vans over the years, frankly," said Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes.

The new cameras will cost the city $187,000---that's on top of the $200,000 spent on the new design. The city hopes these upgrades will improve safety.

In a statement to WJZ, the Gray family's attorney says, in part, "Cameras inside police vans is a good idea because it protects both passengers and police."

The Board of Estimates will vote on the camera contract on Wednesday.