Walsh, BPD assailed over camera program
A Hyde Park activist is slamming Mayor Martin J. Walsh for delaying a decision on police body cameras until after the election, saying he’s ducking a choice that could upset police unions and constituents.
“The decision to move everything until after the election was political,” said Segun Idowu, one of the co-founders of the Boston Police Camera Action Team, of the plan to issue the first report on the program in November. “In politics, you try to push off important decisions until after it actually matters.
“Why he’s not moving forward with this confuses me but I’m not on his political team, maybe they see something 600,000 Boston residents don’t,” Idowu added.
The Boston Police Department’s yearlong body camera pilot program ended Tuesday, after 100 officers wore cameras and collected more than 33,000 incidents on more than 4,400 hours of video. Researchers from Northeastern University will now analyze the video and gather other information before releasing a preliminary report in November, followed by a full report next June, according to BPD.
The pilot program was delayed by contentious negotiations with the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, ultimately beginning last September, and then was extended by six months to include summertime activity in its results. Idowu said the delays are wearing down body camera supporters, and that Walsh is avoiding making a decision that could inflame them.
But Walsh denied politics played any role in the decision and suggested the criticism came with a political angle of its own.
“Why would it be political, we were very clear and up front that this was the whole plan all along,” Walsh said, questioning if BPCAT was supporting any of his opponents in the upcoming preliminary election. “Instead of accusing people of things, maybe they should work with people, that organization. They should reach out to us, they know that’s not true.”
Idowu said he has not supported any candidate and that BPCAT does not make endorsements. Roxbury City Councilor Tito Jackson, who is running against Walsh for mayor, criticized Walsh for waiting on the study instead of mandating body cameras now.
“The public deserves the transparency and accountability that comes from body cameras today and not tomorrow,” Jackson said. “This is an opportunity for Mayor Walsh to lead, any further delay shows lack of leadership.”