NORTH READING — The North Reading Police Department is in the process of implementing a body-worn camera (BWC) program, which includes training all officers on the BWC policy and the proper use of the cameras, with the goal of implementing them in mid-March, Police Chief Mark Zimmerman has announced.
A Body-Worn Camera Grant of $148,195 was awarded to the North Reading Police Department by the Massachusetts Office of Grants and Research to support the state’s Fiscal Year 2025 Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Program.
The grant covered the purchase of 36 Motorola V700 body cameras and corresponding accessories, as well as storage of all data for the next five years.
The V700 is a state-of-the-art, award-winning LTE-enabled body camera that records real-time audio, video and location to capture critical incidents and keep officers connected throughout their shifts.
All North Reading officers will be required to wear body-worn cameras while on duty. Under this program, officers are required to record their interactions with citizens when responding to calls for service or during officer-initiated events, such as traffic stops and field encounters.
Both the town and its police officers mutually agreed upon the implementation of body-worn cameras in 2024. That agreement, Zimmerman stated, represents the strong commitment by the town and the Police Department in using all available tools and resources to keep the community and police officers safe in a way that is fair, impartial, and transparent.
Not activated during routine business at schools
A body-worn camera policy has been developed in collaboration with the North Reading Public Schools. Officers will not have their cameras activated when conducting routine business while in the schools.
Chief Zimmerman would like to thank town officials and North Reading officers for recognizing the great impact that a body-worn camera program could have on both officers and citizens.
“The BWC program creates transparency for our officers and the community that we serve. The program will act as a so-called ‘extra set of eyes’ to provide a better idea of what happens during public encounters with our officers, offering a more complete narrative of what transpired,” Chief Zimmerman said.
He added, “The use of BWC’s will prove to be a valuable tool for both the North Reading Police Department and our local community, helping us provide the type of service that our citizens expect and deserve to strengthen the public’s trust in the department.”