Anaheim City Council approves $1.15M for police body cameras

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- The Anaheim City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved $1.15-million for the purchase of 250 body cameras for the city's police department.

The police department is expected to require its officers to wear body-mounted cameras while on patrol. The first officers are expected to be outfitted with the cameras by November, with all of them wearing the devices by April.

It is part of the department's effort to increase transparency following several high-profile officer-involved shootings in 2012.

The Anaheim Police Association says the cameras, which can also record audio, can help protect officers against false allegations, but the union is concerned about recording crime victims or witnesses.

"Confidential informants out there who are giving the police, patrol officers information on crime, we want to protect their identity also. So we don't want to film in those situations," said Anaheim Police Association President Kerry Condon.