Medford To Review Police Non-Use Of Body Cameras

MEDFORD, MA – The Medford Police Department does not currently utilize body-worn cameras, but that could soon change, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said Monday. The mayor released a statement in response to questions and comments about local law enforcement policies following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Lungo-Koehn said "both the department's leadership and unions have expressed support for their use within the department for the safety of officers and of our constituents." Officials will provide a larger joint statement on these points and hope to convene a community conversation in the coming days, she added.

Medford police officers currently undergo deescalation training, and Chief Jack Buckley has advocated for increasing access to anti-bias and other community policing trainings. City staff also attended a training in May about incorporating anti-bias principles into providing critical services, according to Lungo-Koehn.

"The City of Medford and the Medford Police Department are committed to the safety of all of the City’s residents and visitors, and to increasing and expanding training - including deescalation and anti-bias training – for police officers and city staff," she said.