WARWICK — One month after Warwick’s police officers took to using body-worn cameras, Police Chief David Shoemaker says the cameras are proving their value as a training tool, protective measure and comfort enhancer.
“It’s another tool in our toolbox that we can use to stay safe and make sure the public stays safe,” he said.
Warwick’s officers first started using body-worn cameras on April 1, after receiving a $8,460 grant from Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) that allowed the town to purchase four body-worn cameras and one dash camera for a police cruiser.
Shoemaker explained that before each shift, officers remove the cameras from their charging docks and allow them to run a self-test, ensuring they’re functioning properly before mounting them on their uniforms. Their use is governed by a nine-page document of policies and procedures that was approved by the Selectboard on Feb. 13 and is based on policies from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Shoemaker said.
The cameras, the policy states, are used to record “public interactions, motor vehicle stops, pursuits and police responses involving criminal and civil violations of the law, as well as when an officer believes, in his/her best judgment any situation, condition or event that has the potential for loss of life, injury or damage to property or chance of citizen complaint.”
Though the department hasn’t yet used video footage to bolster a court conviction, Shoemaker provided other examples of when footage can be useful, such as observing a car before it is towed away to avoid claims of damage or to document an illegal dumping site before it is cleaned up.
“It’s a great tool for training,” he continued, providing an example of offering an officer feedback on how best to approach a stopped vehicle.
Body-worn cameras have also helped to ensure responsible behavior, Shoemaker said, as knowledge of being recorded often leads individuals to alter their behavior.
“I think the action of the public are a little more grounded,” he said. Plus, the public can gain comfort in knowing that “both their actions are reviewable.”
Shoemaker said he’s heard “nothing but good reviews” from his officers, who wear the body-worn cameras in different spots on their uniform that are personally comfortable for them and don’t interfere with their safety.
“I don’t want to know it’s there,” explained John Stewart, senior patrol officer with the Warwick Police Department, sporting his body-worn camera on the right side of his shirt.
Still, Shoemaker said, cameras are no substitute for the intuition of trained officers.
“You’re never going to get that perspective that’s the same as the officer’s perspective,” he said. Officers, the chief said, are trained to recognize subtleties like a twitch of an eye or the change of stance that can raise their suspicions.
“No camera can pick up the nuances that the officer notices,” he said.
Some residents, Shoemaker said, have asked “Why Warwick?” thinking that the town, with 780 residents, would have little crime where officers would have the opportunity to use their cameras. However, Shoemaker said his officers still respond to between 600 and 700 calls per year.
“Just because we’re a small town doesn’t mean crime isn’t here too,” Stewart said.
“Everybody is a member of the human race,” Shoemaker agreed. “Bad things don’t stop at the town line.”
Furthermore, Shoemaker suspects that in the future, body-worn cameras will become commonplace. He believes more and more towns will begin to employ body-worn cameras, and the technology will grow smaller and gains more of the officer’s perspective. He cited an example of cameras that can clip onto the rims of an officer’s glasses.
“(Using body-worn cameras) is going to be expected in 10 years,” he said.
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