March 3, 2023 - The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) today released a statement calling on the region’s police departments to deploy body-worn cameras for law enforcement officers in light of recent high-profile incidents involving firearms in Greater Boston.

“The tragic shooting death of 20-year-old Sayed Faisal in Cambridge, and many other similar incidents across the country, demonstrates the damage done to police-community relations when body-camera evidence cannot be used to better understand what happened in such incidents. MAPC applauds the City of Cambridge for taking steps last week to implement body-worn cameras in the wake of this tragic incident and we urge others to follow suit, and quickly.

Body-worn cameras can be an important tool for law enforcement to provide transparency and build trust with residents. They are key in addressing and resolving resident complaints, and providing corroborating evidence in criminal cases. This is especially important for residents from communities of color and residents interacting with police during acute behavioral health crises.

In the past two fiscal years, 25 cities and towns in Greater Boston have received state grant funding for body-worn camera deployment. Several other law enforcement entities, including the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police, have already implemented body-worn camera programs.  Still, the implementation of body-worn cameras continues to lag statewide, even though almost three years have passed since the murder of George Floyd.

MAPC recognizes that body-worn camera programs come with significant costs for cities and towns, especially in retaining and managing body-worn camera footage. The state should therefore maintain grant funding for body-worn camera programs and, if possible, expand it so more communities can implement this essential tool. The Healey Administration and the General Court should also consider additional steps to encourage the adoption and implementation of body-worn cameras and to overcome roadblocks against this essential reform.

The procedures about where, when and how to utilize body-worn cameras are a key part of the success of any program.  Fortunately, cities and towns can utilize the recommendations made by the state’s Law Enforcement Body Camera Task Force in developing standards for procurement and use of body-worn cameras. They can build upon the valuable experience of communities in Massachusetts and across the country that have already adopted and implemented body-worn cameras. Municipalities  should also employ the current state contract for engaging vendors for cameras and data storage.

MAPC is committed to helping the communities in our region, together with their law enforcement officials, to continue to become more transparent and responsive to residents. Body-worm cameras are one important way – certainly not the only way – to accomplish these goals.  MAPC is available to support our communities in obtaining, training, and implementing body-worn camera technology, and we encourage our communities to reach out for assistance.”