City Announces Malden Police Body-Worn Camera program

Advocate Staff Report 

  Mayor Gary Christenson and Police Chief Glenn Cronin are pleased to announce a date for the implementation of the Malden Police Department’s Body-Worn Camera program. Officers are scheduled to begin wearing and utilizing body-worn cameras on Monday, October 24. Officers will be recording interactions with citizens during dispatched calls for service as well as during officer-initiated events, such as traffic stops and field encounters, and during the service of court orders. Footage recorded by officers will be retained in a cloud-based storage system on a specified retention schedule. All requests for copies of body-worn camera footage will be subject to Massachusetts Public Records Law.

  In 2021 the implementation of body-worn cameras was mutually agreed upon by both the City of Malden and its police officers. That agreement represents the strong commitment by the Mayor and the Malden Police Department (MPD) in using all available tools and resources to keep our community and our police officers safe in a way that is fair, impartial and transparent. The MPD applied for a body-worn camera grant and was awarded $95,024 to initiate, acquire and implement a body-worn camera program. To qualify for the grant, the MPD submitted a comprehensive deployment plan that described a deliberate and phased plan to deploy technology as well as specific ways the program will enhance the department’s mission.

  In early 2022, the City signed a contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. and purchased Axon Body 3 cameras along with requisite licensing and storage. During the last several months, the department has been working diligently to develop policy, update technology infrastructure and train department personnel, all of which has led to the upcoming implementation. The department also created a Video Evidence Unit, the assigned officers of which will be responsible for maintaining the body-worn camera equipment, software and cloud-based storage system as well as for responding to requests for copies of footage. The MPD is proud to be the first agency in Middlesex County to implement an Axon body-worn camera program.