![]() ![]() Equal to that was the task of negotiating with the police union to add the new equipment in way that would be acceptable to both sides.įor example Martineau said he was able to negotiate the 30-second passive recording and, at the same time, agreed to the stipulation that officers did not have to wear them during extra pay traffic details. Of the three main phases the department went through to bring the body cameras to Fitchburg, Martineau said the hardest part wasn’t getting the $160,000 federal grant to pay for the 90-plus body cameras but finding the recurring revenue every year for the cloud storage of the non-stop deluge of evidence files pouring into the department’s data bank. Martineau said that since July 3, police officers in the city have already logged over 3,000 evidence files, which are available to anyone upon an official public record request, with the exception of portions redacted to protect privacy and other sensitive information. As soon as the officer presses the button twice the past 30 seconds are added to the video that has begun recording. In situations like that, Martineau said that a 30-second passive recording mode for the body cameras helps cover that portion of the incident. The body cameras are initiated in three different ways when the officer turns on his cruiser’s blue strobe lights removes his firearm from its holster or presses the button on the front of the camera twice.īut in incidents like the recent foot chase, there is typically a moment that the camera wouldn’t catch right before the officer presses the button and begins the chase. Upon his request to file a complaint against the officer, Martineau asked if he could review the camera footage before the man went forward with the complaint. “I’ve already seen it.”įollowing a recent foot chase between an officer and a subject, the subject came back to the police station days later to claim the officer acted inappropriately when taking him into custody. “It’s going to protect them, and it’s going to protect the public, from misallegations,” he said. While protection of the public was paramount in the decision to begin using them, body cameras also help protect officers, Martineau said. It brings a level of transparency greater than we have ever seen.” “All of our interactions are being recorded. “The level of policing it now creates is extraordinary,” said Martineau, who has worked in the force for 37 years. He said the move has been 3 years in the making but is well worth the effort. Police Chief Ernest Martineau joined the rest of his officers on July 3, by affixing a body camera to his uniform before going to work. FITCHBURG - In a move supported by both officers and citizens, the city has joined many others across the country in taking a giant step forward in law enforcement reform. ![]()
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