Mesa Police Department Adds Transparency Measure For Lethal Incidents

Published: Thursday, June 11, 2020 - 6:14pm
Updated: Wednesday, June 24, 2020 - 11:56am
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The Mesa Police Department has launched a program to provide video briefings of incidents involving the use of deadly force. The first video was posted this week on Youtube.

It begins with a warning from a Mesa detective about the graphic images and language. The video details a deadly shooting from November, with narration, 911 calls and footage of the incident.

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Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost says the department’s goal moving forward is to release future briefings within 45 days of a shooting.

Assistant Chief Ed Wessing says this is all about opening up communication between the public and the police.

Wessing added that it’s the department’s goal to get the footage out as quickly as possible, saying the more they sit and talk with the community, the better they will understand each other.

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