Chatham Police Now Sport Body Cameras; Cruisers Also Equipped With Video Recorders

CHATHAM – Even though they’ve only been in use since Aug. 28, new police body and dashboard cameras have already been a factor in several cases.

 “We’ve already had a couple of cases where we’ve been able to collect evidence through the cameras that we would not have had before,” said Chief Michael Anderson. “They’re already showing their value.”

 The department purchased 22 forward-facing Motorola body cameras, one for each sworn officer, as well as six dashboard-mounted cameras for the department’s marked cruisers. The devices cost less than the $150,000 appropriation, leaving some funds left over should more cameras be needed, he said.

 Body cameras are not new to policing, but Cape departments have been slow to adopt them. Anderson said he’s been advocating for them since he became chief.

 “It was a priority,” he said.

 The cameras are simple to use. While always “passively” on, they don’t start recording until an officer taps on the front panel. The recorded footage jumps back one minute from the tap, so that what led up to the officer turning on the camera is also captured. The cameras in the cruisers can be activated manually and turn on automatically when the flashing lights are switched on.

The footage is retained for a minimum of 180 days, longer for serious incidents as spelled out by state record retention laws. The video can be used in court cases and for training, and can be obtained by the public through public records requests subject to the same restrictions as apply to police reports, according to Anderson. Included software also allows redactions, such as blurring faces and bleeping audio, on video released publicly.

“We do have the ability to redact and protect people’s privacy,” Anderson said. 

According to the department’s policy, officers should inform the public when they are being recorded; however, people interacting with police during a service call or traffic stop should assume they are being recorded.

The video is essentially a supplement to the reports police must fill out for every incident.

“This helps fill in the blanks,” said Officer Clint Collier. He said adopting the camera was “an easy transition.” He wore a similar body cam in the Coast Guard for 11 years. “A lot of members of the public assumed we had them already.”

Officers have discretion on when to activate the camera, which records high-definition video and audio. It’s essentially a safety tool, Anderson said, for both police and the public.

“If anything, they’ve been more calm because they know our interactions are being recorded,” added Collier.

Given the amount of equipment officers carry, the cameras are barely noticeable, he said. “You don’t feel the weight of it,” he said. “It in no way impedes anyone from doing their job.”

 The camera “strengthens either decisions I made or decisions I decide to make,” he said. “I’m pretty excited to start using it. It’s like catching up to everyone else.”

A set of frequently asked questions about the cameras is available on the department’s webpage.