The Boston Police Department officially launched its body camera program Monday, after months of delay.
The body cameras will be worn by officers and turned on only when conducting official police activities, in accordance with department guidelines, which state that the cameras are not to be deactivated until an encounter is officially concluded or the officer leaves the scene. The officers will record the entirety of any contact with civilians, with room for discretion when there exists a “reasonable expectation of privacy.”
A judge ruled Friday that the Boston police commissioner has the authority to order officers to wear cameras, even if the officers did not volunteer to do so.
One-hundred police officers were to be outfitted with body cameras for a six month period on a voluntary basis, following a deal negotiated by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans with the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association. But not a single officer volunteered for the program, leading to a controversial decision by the Boston Police Department to randomly select 100 officers to wear the cameras, according to the Associated Press. The officers in question were randomly selected by a consultant and notified on Aug. 17 that they would be a part of the six-month-pilot program, which is set to begin Sept. 2.
The union representing Boston police officers had successfully delayed the implementation of the body camera program, arguing that the agreement between the union and the city was to outfit officers on a voluntary basis, and to force the officers into wearing the camera would violate thier collective bargaining agreement.
Civil rights leaders criticize the voluntary nature of the program, arguing that only officers with a clean record would volunteer, which would lead to inaccurate data.
Police officers are under a microscope following a series of high profile shootings.
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