Taser teaser for San Jose police

San Jose, California: San Jose police are testing head-mounted cameras made by Taser International to record interactions with the public.

The test, involving 18 patrol officers, comes as citizens' groups criticise the department for too often using force during arrests.

Taser is paying for the experiment, but the price could be high if San Jose equips all 1,400 officers with the gadget.

Each Taser kit costs $1,700 (Dh6,252), plus another $99 per officer by virtue of monthly fees. That amounts to an expense of $4 million department-wide for each year.

Officers are to turn on the cameras every time they talk with any-one. They are required to download the recordings after every shift. The cameras are the size of Bluetooth cell phone earpieces and are attached by a headband above the ear.

San Jose is the first major American city to try the devices to keep an eye on policing.