Worcester Police Chief Calls Body Cam Pilot 'A Good Program'

Body Cameras — Phoenix Police Department Sgt. Kevin Johnson shows off the new Axon Body 2 body camera as another precinct gets their cameras assigned to them Wednesday, July 3, 2019, in Phoenix. Although body-worn cameras are becoming a police standard nationwide, Phoenix was among the last big departments to adopt their widespread use.

August 12, 2020

After a six-month pilot program — and nationwide protests demanding more accountability and less funding for local law enforcement — Worcester's police chief expressed support for body cameras.

“It’s a very good program," Chief Steve Sargent told the Worcester City Council Public Safety Committee Tuesday. "It protects the police officers. It protects the community. It’s very transparent."

The pilot, which began in May of 2019, placed cameras on 20 officers, who took nearly 8,000 videos over the course of the program. To equip all 375 officers with body cams would cost between $9 and $11 million over five years, said city officials. That expense isn't currently in the budget.

The community group Defund WPD spent weeks earlier this summer advocating, ultimately unsuccessfully, for the city to slash the police department budget. The group says the city should redirect the police budget money to social service programs.

Despite the protests, the Worcester City Council approved a $52.8 million police budget — a quarter million more than the current budget — for next year.

During Tuesday’s City Council hearing, some department members raised concerns that the use of body cameras might make it more difficult to connect with members of the community.

“Especially with gang and violent crime, we are concerned that people won’t want to come forward and talk to us,” said Lt. Sean Murtha.

Murtha, who worked on the pilot program, said the cameras did help officers critique their work. But added that could also backfire when officers need to act.

“Use of force generally looks bad on camera, whether it is justified or not,” Murtha said. “And we’re concerned that officers might be hesitant to make a decisive decision when it has to happen.”

City Council members have been largely supportive of the idea of body cams.

Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey has said the city should go after grant money from the state public safety bond bill. And District 1 Councilor Sean Rose has said he wants a permanent body camera program in place by Jan. 1.

Worcester residents will have an opportunity to weigh-in on whether WPD should add body cams to the mix next Monday during a public hearing.