Local law enforcement agencies should embrace broad use of recording equipment as a proactive measure to protect the rights of officers as well as suspects.

A new state law requires all Kansas law enforcement agencies to adopt written policies for electronically recording interrogations and to implement those policies by July 2018. The law requires recording of all interrogations involving homicides and felony sex offenses.

The Lawrence Police Department doesn’t have a specific policy, but in general officers videotape all interrogations in the interview rooms at the Law Enforcement Center. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a policy that states all felony, child abuse and sex crime interrogations shall be recorded, though interrogations regarding other crimes may be recorded as well.

Originally, the bill required all interrogations to be recorded, but the bill was modified over concerns that some jurisdictions and agencies did not have the financial or technical wherewithal to comply. That’s not the case in Lawrence and Douglas County, where it should be policy to record all interrogations.

“Recorded interrogations are an invaluable tool for law enforcement, prosecutors, defendants and juries,” said Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson. “Not only does the recording provide reviewable evidence for a jury to consider, it is a tool that protects the integrity of the criminal justice system.”

A similar approach should be taken with body cameras. Officers with the University of Kansas police have had body cameras since 2015 and indications are that Lawrence will follow suit next year.

The Lawrence Police Department is requesting $500,000 for the purchase of such cameras for all 154 officers in the department as well as a technical support position. Assuming city commissioners approve the funding request, the cameras will be deployed next year.

Decisions still need to be made about what types of cameras will be purchased and how they will be used. But just as recording interrogations provides an indisputable record of what transpired in the interview room, body cameras show what transpired between officers and suspects on the street. Body cameras are the best way to document such interaction.

“I think generally (cameras give) people a greater feeling of confidence in their police force, so I think it has the potential to be really good for both sides of the equation,” said Lawrence Mayor Leslie Soden.

Soden is right. Law enforcement should pursue all technology they can reasonably afford and then use those tools not only to meet the minimum requirements provided by the state, but also to enhance every investigation officers tackle. Policies regarding taping interrogations and using body camera should be written to reflect such an open and transparent approach.