By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Louis – The American Civil Liberties Union is arming some residents of north St. Louis with video cameras to record interactions with police officers. The group plans to distribute between 50 and 100 cameras.
The ACLU says the St. Louis Police Department routinely harasses and abuses minority residents of the city's north side.
They're hoping the video cameras, part of "Project Vigilant" will have a deterrent effect on alleged police misconduct.
Still, Brenda Jones, Executive Director of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri said they aren't encouraging residents to target police officers.
"There is no vigilante force growing out there," Jones said. "We are not asking people to look at police scanners or anything. We want people to go about their everyday lives."
The cameras will be given to residents of the Fairground Park Neighborhood.
St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa said the project is not illegal and he has no objection to it.