Mother of Jocques Clemmons speaks out after Metro signs body camera contract
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Rarely does Sheila Clemmons return to where her son took his last breath.
“I can picture Jocques laying between those cars and one of the things he probably was saying in those last minutes and seconds was Momma,” said Clemmons.
Sometimes, coming back to James Cayce Homes brings her comfort. Metro Police finally getting body cameras brings her relief.
“The fight that I was in, it wasn’t in vein, neither was Jocques’ life,” said Clemmons.
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Jocques Clemmons died two years ago after being shot and killed by Metro Officer Joshua Lippert following an attempted traffic stop. Ever since, Sheila Clemmons has pushed and protested, calling for officers to wear body cams.
“The body cameras would tell a whole other story. The cameras, I don’t trust the cameras around (James Cayce Homes),” said Clemmons.
This week, Metro signed a $19 million contract for the cameras with the company Watchguard. All Metro officers will be issued a camera. Hundreds of patrol vehicles – marked and unmarked - will also be outfitted with them. Like Clemmons, retired Metro Officer Kirk Roncskevitz, says the cameras are long overdue.
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“My experience is, it ends up exonerating the officer of any claims of wrongdoing,” said Roncskevitz.
For decades, he served as an officer and says the cameras will offer two sides of the story.
“Where the officers are accused of a wrong doing and then the video is played back, it shows that they did what they were supposed to,” Roncskevitz said.
“I would say that Jocques would be very proud to know that his momma kept fighting. His momma continues to fight,” said Clemmons.
Metro Police will meet with Watchguard in the next couple of weeks to discuss rollout of the cameras. Meanwhile, they are waiting for approval of two IT positions needed to manage all of the video.
