The Lowell Police Department is currently in the process of implementing a Body Worn Camera (BWC) program. The City of Lowell recently signed a contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. and the department will be outfitted with the Axon Body 3 cameras. Along with the cameras, the requisite licensing and cloud based storage will be provided through Axon. The program was made possible in part by the 2022 Bureau of Justice FY 22 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program grant, the FY2022 Body Worn Camera Program grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the City’s Capital Plan Budget. The implementation of the program, which was agreed upon by the City and its Police Officers, will enhance police transparency, public trust, and foster police-community relationships. The program will start with a thirty camera roll out for a period of one year, before being implemented department wide.
The BWC Unit consists of a Sergeant, Officer, and Digital Evidence Specialist (civilian). The BWC Sergeant is responsible for the oversight and management of the BWC Program. This will include inventory, training, deployment, system evaluation, policy and procedure review, and evaluation and maintenance of the program’s hardware and software systems. The BWC Sergeant, with support from the Officer and Digital Evidence Specialist, will ensure officers are complying with department policies and procedures and that the body worn cameras and related equipment are kept in operational order. The Officer and the Digital Evidence Specialist will also support the Sergeant with all public records requests related to BWCs, as well as all non-enforcement, administrative, technical support and services of the Police Department’s Body Worn Camera Program.