During a record year for officer-involved shootings in Dallas, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins held a second town hall meeting Thursday to discuss improving the criminal justice system with the community.
Watkins discussed some big changes coming to the Dallas Police Department at the Friendship West Baptist Church. Watkins and Dallas Police Chief David Brown said they hope being more open will help them build a trustworthy relationship with the community.
"The keys to public trust are transparency, honesty and community engagement," Brown said in a press release. "We are committed to continuing our ongoing dialogue with the community to foster improved relations with the citizens that we serve."
Body Cameras
The Dallas Police Department ordered 200 body cameras for its officers. Brown said footage from the body cameras will help build the public's trust in their investigations.
"We are quickly moving toward body cameras," he said. "The officers' actions will be on camera."
Civil Rights Unit
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The District Attorney's office created the Civil Rights Unit, which will be separate from the police department. Watkins said the new unit will investigate officer-involved shootings.
"The plan right now is for one prosecutor and one investigator to go to the scene of any officer-involved shooting and conduct follow-up interviews with witnesses, "Watkins said in a release.
Other Efforts
Brown also said the department will receive 2,000 new Tasers and jail cameras.
The meeting was moderated by church pastor Frederick Haynes III, who was also involved in trying to resolve the tension in Ferguson, Mo., after the the recent Mike Brown shooting.
