Area law enforcement is trying clear up fuzzy excessive force complaints and court arguments with body-worn video cameras.

Post Falls, Rathdrum and Kootenai County have purchased the devices worn on the front of uniforms, while Coeur d'Alene plans to.

With police excessive force complaints on the rise across the nation, agencies say the cameras protect officers from lawsuits but also holds them accountable if a valid complaint does arise.

"We use them in court to show a judge or jury the events as the officer saw them at the scene," said Post Falls Chief Scot Haug, whose agency has purchased six of the cameras. "Having this video and audio allows everyone involved to see firsthand what the officer saw during the event. Many times when a complainant sees the video they walk away with a different perspective.

"This is a very important tool for law enforcement."

Post Falls police Capt. Pat Knight said officers turn on the cameras when they respond to a call and they record four hours of footage.

After the officers' shift, they download the footage, which is stored in a data base similar to their regular reports.

Some officers have cameras both in their cars and on their uniforms. In other cases, the body-worn cameras are in lieu of recorders not being in the cars.

Haug said the downside to an in-car camera is that when an officer walks away from the car, the audio is lost.

"With the body-worn video cameras, you get both the video and audio no matter where the officer goes," Haug said.

Knight said footage from body-worn cameras can be dizzying, but it can still provide valuable information in court.

"Foot pursuits can be comical to watch, but you can hear the audio crystal clear," he said.

Knight said even footage from calls that seem routine at the time is stored.

"The mundane calls are typically the ones we get complaints on," he said.

Knight said he expects excessive force complaints will decrease with the cameras.

"(The cameras) really help in court," he said. "We've had several DUI cases in which the suspect watches and says, 'Wow. I can't believe that's me doing or saying that.' But they also ensure that officers are towing the line. They can be a great training tool for the officers."

Knight said that some officers are hesitant to have the cameras at first.

"There can be the 'Big Brother's watching' feeling, but they get over that quickly because they know they can help out with a liability issue," he said.

The cameras range from about $300 to $750 each, depending on the brand and quality.

Coeur d'Alene has tested the cameras and plans to purchase them as funding becomes available, said Sgt. Christie Wood.

Each of the county's deputies and Rathdrum police officers have been issued one.

Lt. Stuart Miller said the county was allowed to buy the cameras after a presentation to the commissioners and a lawsuit alleging excessive force.

"The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, but if we would've had the (cameras) at the time, we could have potentially saved a lot of money spent on litigation and wages and stress," Miller said.

Miller said some of the cameras have been issued to jail staff as well.

"In our litigious society we are often the target of malicious or unwarranted lawsuits," Miller said. "We live in a digital age where, if it's not on video for others to view, then it didn't happen. These videos definitely assist us with prosecution of our cases, complaints against deputies and allow us the ability to audit our deputies' work."