Obama Wants More Police Wearing Body Cameras

BY NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – Spurred by the Ferguson, Missouri shooting, President Barack Obama is calling for $75 million in federal spending to get 50,000 more police to wear body cameras that record their interactions with civilians.

However, Obama is not seeking to pull back federal programs that provide military-style equipment to local law enforcement.

The president was making the announcements Monday from the White House during a series of meetings with his Cabinet, civil rights leaders, law enforcement officials and others.

At least for now, Obama is staying away from Ferguson in the wake of a racially charged uproar over a grand jury’s decision last week not to charge the police offer who fatally shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.