Police Commissioner Says 'Resistance to Change' Impedes Body Camera Pilot

BOSTON, MA — Boston's Police Commissioner publicly addressed several headline-grabbing issues in an interview Tuesday, where he boiled down officers' unresponsiveness to a mediation program and body camera pilot to entrenched resistance to change.

BPD Commissioner William Evans took questions from program hosts and the public on Boston Public Radio Tuesday, appearing on the regularly scheduled show in the wake of news that zero officers have volunteeredfor a much-publicized, body-worn camera pilot program.

The Boston Police Patrolmen's Association agreed last month to the voluntary, six-month body camera pilot program, with 100 volunteer patrol officer participation to start. But in the month since then and approaching a September start-date, those volunteers have failed to materialize.

On WGBH, Evans downplayed tension between the police union and public officials as the source. Despite initially agreeing to the voluntary body camera pilot, union leaders have since felt pressured by violence against officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Evans said.

Officers will instead be drafted into the program.

"Now, we're going to move forward, and we hope to get on board with the body cameras," he said.

Those assignments start today, and training begins next week, he said. Unless, of course, the police union brings a legal challenge, a possibility Evans did not discount.

“They’ll probably challenge us, that we’re going to assign them, but that’s what the union does," he said. "They look out for their membership."

Officers for the pilot will be chosen at random, with oversight from a Rutgers University team.

News of early non-participation casts a cloud over the good work his officers are doing in the community, Evans said. It also has the potential to tear at the public trust, as tensions again flare with violence in Milwaukee over the weekend.

The body-worn camera pilot isn't the only new effort that's seen zero volunteers.

A program to mediate grievances has also failed to garner any officer participation, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday. Evans sees a common thread.

"We were hoping that the union would take advantage of (the mediation program). But, unfortunately, it's like the body cameras," Evans said. "I think if they engage in the practice... they'll realize the benefit to it. But police agencies, nationwide, are all resistant to change."

Evans said that's been historically true of most police organizations, but he sees opportunity among younger officers. He used the body-worn cameras as his example.

"I think the younger officers get it. They get the technology," he said, adding that older officers remain "reluctant."

>> Photo via Boston Police Department