Top brass back $25M bodycam plan
Evans: Pilot program mostly successful
Strapping 1,500 body cameras on patrol officers could cost $25 million, according to police brass who yesterday mostly lauded the technology as city officials continue to mull their effectiveness.
Police Commissioner William B. Evans yesterday told the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice a yearlong pilot program that outfitted 100 officers with cameras was largely successful. Evans said the cameras have garnered praise from Mayor Martin J. Walsh, prosecutors and defense attorneys and even his once-hesitant officers.
“From talking to officers out there, they’re on board. I think they all like it. The big question is the cost,” Evans said.
Superintendent John J. Daley said “full implementation” for 1,500 officers would cost an estimated $7 million the first year and could cost up to $25 million after five years. The costs include maintaining infrastructure and hiring additional employees, he said.
City Council President Andrea Campbell said the city should “absolutely” invest in cameras to benefit the public and police, despite the hefty price tag.
“It’s difficult to sometimes monetize the feeling that someone might have when someone is wearing a body camera,” she said. “There is something about this idea of increasing trust, increasing accountability and transparency for both parties that you can’t always monetize.”
Researchers with Northeastern University also attended the meeting, and briefed councilors on a preliminary report of the pilot program. The report will be completed in June.
Researchers found there were slightly fewer civilian complaints against officers and fewer instances of officers using force, compared to a similar group without cameras. Two officers were cleared in complaints thanks to video footage.
Evans did say, however, that a study of Las Vegas police wearing cameras concluded officers were issuing more tickets and arresting more people.
“On camera, sometimes, that can take away our discretion,” Evans said. “You know, a cop gives someone, let’s say, a break for doing something. Now it’s on camera and there is liability there . ... That whole concept bothered me. I think we do a good job of not locking kids up.”
Segun Idowu of the Boston Police Camera Action Team, a citizen’s advocacy group, said, “Literally everyone in this room said they want body cameras. We’re absolutely behind. … It’s been four years of this discussion. This marks, I think, 1,550 days that we’ve been talking about this, which is more time than we’ve been talking about the Olympics and the IndyCar race combined.”