There are plenty of questions community members want answered before the Buffalo Police Department rolls out its body camera program next month. 

In the 2019 budget, Buffalo's Common Council approved $500,000 toward the program. 

The program will continue with a district-by-district rollout for about three months at a time, according to Common Council President Darius Pridgen.  

Buffalo police officers will go through four-hour training sessions before using the cameras in the field. 

On Wednesday, the Police Advisory Board to the Buffalo Common Council listened to concerns of residents at Frank E. Merriweather Library on Jefferson Avenue.

"People have had concerns about when the camera is going to be on and off," said board co-chair Jonathan Manes. "Course if the camera's not on it is not serving the purpose." 

At least two dozen residents attended the forum to suggest the improvements they would like to see in the BPD body-worn camera policy. 

"We want those body cameras to be punched in the same way [officers] punch in their shift," said Buffalo resident Samuel Herbert. "We want those cameras to be punched out when officers are off their shift.”

According to the BPD's body-worn camera policy, that won't be possible due to legal constraints.

The current policy states cameras will be off in cases where officers are talking with undercover officers, are in bathrooms and hospitals and if it is requested by a victim or witness. 

The policy includes measures for preventing the misuse of footage, but residents asked the BPD to take it a step further and have all footage stored with a third party. 

The video will not be readily available to the public, another issue discussed at Wednesday's forum.

“When are residents and civilians who have complaints about the police going to be able to get access to the footage and how?" said Manes. 

Retired law enforcement officer Martin Kearney says he believes the adoption of body cameras will encourage officers to act appropriately at all times.

“It's one thing to be thought you were a fool and it's another to be seen acting a fool," added Kearney. 

The Police Advisory Board plans to meet with the Buffalo Police Department once again before the body cameras are rolled out.  

Spectrum News was told the BPD will also release the final draft of their body-worn camera policy.