Massachusetts State Police Launch New Body Camera Program
BOSTON (CBS) - The Massachusetts State Police announced on Thursday that they have begun training for its new Body-Worn Camera system.
Logan Airport-based Troop F is the first group of officers that are being trained with the cameras, which will record any interaction between troopers and the public in an effort to hold both suspects and troopers accountable.
Troop F, which has about 150 department members in total, is mainly responsible for providing security for all Port Authority facilities and properties. They were selected first because it operates out of a single barracks location.
The other five geographic Troops, the Special Operations Troop and others will begin training over the next couple of months.
"Our Body-Worn Camera system is the next step in the evolution of our officer safety and accountability initiatives," said Colonel Christopher S. Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. "The camera system will provide valuable digital evidence in our mission to hold perpetrators accountable and will record interactions between officers and the public – thus ensuring that officers maintain the level of professionalism we demand, protecting officers and the public alike from any inaccurate descriptions of an interaction, and assisting us in assessing the credibility of any complaints made against officers."
Motorola is the vendor for the system, which uses the company's Watchguard V300 camera. Motorola officials are also offering training.
