The investigation of a state trooper’s killing of 28-year-old African American Dion Johnson showed an ADOT camera is the only video footage of the incident. Arizona’s Department of Public Safety — responsible for patrolling state highways — doesn’t equip its officers with body cameras. 

DPS is the largest law enforcement agency in the state that doesn’t use body cams. The high cost of the equipment has prevented the agency from purchasing the cameras previously. Budget shortfalls from the pandemic are further exacerbating that now. But Rob Davis, chief social scientist at the nonprofit National Police Foundation, says a suspicious attitude toward body cams is also a common reason agencies resist using them — at first. 

“Civilians have cellphones, so they’re recording, so it’s actually in an officer’s interest to have their own recording from their perspective as well,” he said. "The recordings from different perspectives can show very different things, and if you see the perspective of the officer from his camera or her camera, I think that sometimes helps to explicate what the officer's action was," he said. The foundation just released the findings of its 10-year study on law enforcement use and attitudes toward body cameras. The study found that, over time, officers view body cams as protection. Davis said research also showed that body cams don't influence or change officer behavior — rather, body cam use just reveals existing behavior. 

From the study: 

It may be helpful to view body cameras like any other transparency or accountability tool: as both a “disinfectant” (removing unwanted bad actions before they occur due to knowledge of being observed) and “flashlight” (revealing information that can be used later, e.g. the recordings of body cameras). It seems body cameras may lack potency as disinfectant. But being a bad disinfectant actually increases cameras’ usefulness as a flashlight.

Johnson's death is still raising many questions. 

"This officer was not wearing a body-worn camera, and we will never know, objectively, what happened to Dion. We will never know that," said Jocquese Blackwell, the family's attorney, in a public statement. 

There is no dash-cam footage because the officer was on a motorcycle.

According to the official report, the DPS trooper said Johnson was passed out drunk in his car, which was blocking part of the on-ramp on Loop 101 near Tatum Boulevard. The trooper says the first thing he did was remove a handgun from the passenger seat of the car and take it back to his car. The trooper also noted open alcohol containers in the car, according to dispatch audio. Johnson was also not awake to provide his ID or answer questions.

According to Phoenix PD, after the gun was removed, the trooper "noticed Mr. Johnson moving around so he returned to the vehicle and attempted to arrest Mr. Johnson." That is when the physical altercation began.

Phoenix police are completing their investigation involving Johnson's death and the case will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review.

It has also been confirmed that the two DPS troopers initially involved in the incident have been interviewed as part of the investigation process.

Video from the ADOT camera does not show the actual shooting but does show Johnson behind his car afterward. Two DPS troopers are with him. One of the troopers appears to be next to Johnson while another trooper is standing over him.