A number of Massachusetts police departments are equipping officers' uniforms with body cameras for the first time this year, as cities and towns across the commonwealth roll out new programs boosted by millions in state grant money.
“We knew it was something we were eventually going to have to do,” Dennis Police Lt. Peter Benson said. “The big thing was really where the funding was going to come from.”
Dennis police plan to start using body cameras this May, using a $100,900 grant from the state to implement and support a 40-camera program for three years.
The grant is part of $2.5 million in state funding issued in November to help 32 police departments adopt or expand body-worn camera programs.
In announcing the first round of these grants in 2021, state officials said only 10% of municipal police departments in the state already had body cameras, but75% of departments were interested in using the devices. Overall, the state plans to distribute $20 million over five years, which it has said would be enough to buy about 9,000 body-worn cameras and servers for video storage.
Discussions about police transparency and accountability have led many departments to consider implementing bodycams. Last summer, a task force created under the state's 2020 police reform law issued specific body camera guidelines for towns and cities. Thetask force also concluded that financing these programs would be a critical issue for local governments to address.
Police departments that have benefited from state funding say the grants can help get them up and running, but some — especially those in smaller towns — are concerned about finding funds to support ongoing costs.
It's all about the money
Michael White, a professor at Arizona State University and co-author of "Cops, Cameras, and Crisis: The Potential and the Perils of Police Body-Worn Cameras," said cost is one of the main issues departments face when implementing body-worn camera programs.
He said that beyond startup funding, it’s important for departments to address long-term financial considerations like maintenance and storage. Police body cameras generate large video files that must be stored for years for investigative purposes.
“The ongoing costs are what add up really quickly,” White said.
Dalton, a suburb of Pittsfield, received $129,368 from the state's latest round of grants. It used the money to equip 14 police officers with body-worn cameras, launching the program in March.
“I’ve always been interested in them,” said Deanna L. Strout, who has been Dalton’s police chief for two years. “When the state’s putting out grant funding for the body cams, I think it’s just a smart move to be proactive and get ahead of it.”
Strout said her department's funding should cover the program for five years, but she worries about the long-term cost. She hopes future grant funding will ease some of the community burden.
“It’s a mandated situation,” she said. “It’s not fair to the taxpayers of small towns to have to foot such a large bill.”
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Hanover Police Chief Timothy Kane, whose department received $110,702 to equip 30 officers for their program launching in July, said data storage costs are a pain point for many departments, especially with the grant’s requirement that departments save files on their own servers, rather than in the cloud. Kane said the department worked closely with Hanover’s information technology office to identify the most cost-effective option.
“We know many cities/towns face a significant challenge when it comes to funding storage,” Kane said in a statement to GBH News. “We looked at this challenge as one we would overcome so long as we purchased the correct equipment.”
Southborough received $78,547 from the state, and deployed 19 cameras in April as part of a trial program to get officers acquainted with equipment and sort out any technical issues. Southborough Police Chief Ryan Newell said that the department planned on full implementation for May 2.
Newell said that grant will support the town's body camera program for five years. After that, the costs will be treated like any other police equipment needs and be factored into the town's capital budget — the same approach Benson will apply in Dennis.
Shifting perspectives
Worcester, which was part of the first round of state grants,launched its body camera program in February. The city had been studying the issue for more than eight years. Funding was a major factor in the slow rollout. In addition, some police officials expressed concern that body cameras would change officers' behavior, such as not using force even when deemed appropriate, due to potential public criticism.
Cambridge faced a different hurdle, with a local ordinance meaning police needed approval from City Council to acquire surveillance technology. After the police killing of Sayed Faisal, which led to greater calls in the community for police transparency, the cityannounced it would pursue a bodycam program. Officials have not yet provided a timeline or additional details.
North Reading Police Chief Michael Murphy, who’s department received a $133,994 grant in the latest distribution, said in a statement to GBH News that he and three lieutenants have agreed to wear body cameras, however the Patrol/Sergeant’s Union has not.
“I believe every police officer should be equipped with them,” Murphy said in a statement to GBH News. “Although the camera does not provide a complete view of what an officer sees, they should be utilized despite the shortcomings.”
Murphy said so far, the state has released funding for him and the three lieutenants to buy cameras and storage, with the rest of the funding set to be released once an agreement is reached with the Patrol/Sergeant’s Union. North Reading Patrol/Sergeant Union President Tim King declined to comment but said the union anticipates the issue to be a subject of upcoming contract negotiations.
"Body cameras initially give us more insight into the psychology and sociology of policing."Shekia Scott, founder of the Boston Police Camera Action Team
Shekia Scott, who founded the Boston Police Camera Action Team in 2014, said over the years she has seen the issue shift from controversial to an expectation for police departments. She said as more departments adopt body-worn cameras, she hopes the programs can be used to examine policing at a deeper level.
“Body cameras initially give us more insight into the psychology and sociology of policing,” she said.
However, Scott said in adopting new technology, it is important to keep the community at the table for oversight.
“We’re funding something where again the police are policing themselves,” she said.
White, the Arizona State University professor, said most departments have taken the approach of using body-worn cameras to show they have “nothing to hide.”
In the Dennis Police Department, Benson said he had seen officers' attitudes toward body cameras change as they recognized the benefits. He said in the past, many officers looked at body cameras with skepticism, but that has largely evaporated.
“A lot of [police] thought ‘They’re just trying to catch us doing things that we shouldn’t be doing’ or looking for a gotcha moment,’” he said. “The attitude [now] is more ‘no, this is a protection for us.’”
Strout said she has also seen many officers understand the value footage from body cameras can have for officers.
“If there’s a question about what happened it’s there,” Strout said. “It’s not ‘he said versus she said.’ It’s documented evidence.”
Southborough Chief Newell agreed.
“All you have to do is press play,” he said.
