Atlanta police using new holsters that turn on body cam when firearm is drawn

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Police officers in Atlanta now have a high tech holster that activates a camera the moment the officer pulls the firearm.

A commander told the City Council Public Safety Panel the city is rapidly acquiring the latest technology to track the performance of the staff. The enhancements should also give the public confidence the command will not hide wrongdoing.

The special holster is called the Signal Sidearm. There is a sensor that will turn on the officer's body camera the instant the gun is removed.

"We want to take the human error out of the camera," said Chief Scott Kreher.

The first 500 have been delivered and distributed. That initial allotment has been divided up among Atlanta's Six Zones. These are the officers who handle 911 calls.

And if there are multiple officers responding to a situation, the activation by the first officer will turn on all the other body cameras in the proximity. Kreher says that should give commanders a full view of what is taking place.