Boston Police To Assign Bodycams After No Officers Volunteer

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Boston Police Commissioner William Evans says he plans to randomly assign body cameras to 100 officers by September after none of them volunteered for the pilot program.

In a statement, Boston Police said the officers were chosen by Dr. Anthony Braga, an independent party. The officers who were chosen to participate will be notified this week and will start training on the new equipment next week.

The move comes after Evans had warned that he may have to force officers to wear them after no officers volunteered. The rollout date for the pilot program is Sept. 1.

Officials said last month that the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association had agreed to the six-month pilot program.

Evans has acknowledged it's been a "hard sell" to officers.

Activists in Boston have called for police body cameras for two years, since the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Segun Idowu of the Boston Police Camera Action Team said he is glad to hear the city taking the program seriously.

"Most of the officers who do a good job are going to sign up for the program," he said. "And that's not that they shouldn't be congratulated for the good work that they do. But these cameras are meant to ensure that all officers are on their best behavior."

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