Shrewsbury Police To Begin Wearing Body Cameras

SHREWSBURY, MA — A handful of Shrewsbury police officers will begin wearing body cameras this week, part of a larger effort to acquire the technology dating back several years.

Starting Friday, 10 officers — including two sergeants — will wear cameras made by Motorola. The department hopes to outfit all officers with cameras by the fall, according to police.

"Equipping our officers with body worn cameras has been a goal of the Shrewsbury Police Department. This program represents our commitment to 21st century policing, in which we place emphasis on transparency, and building trust and legitimacy between our department and the community that we serve," Chief Kevin Anderson said in a news release.

The department began pursuing bodycams in 2021 after state Rep. Hannah Kane, R-Shrewsbury, and state Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury, secured about $50,000 for the program, according to the Community Advocate.

Local departments including Worcester and Southborough have recently rolled out bodycam programs. In September, the state opened a grant program offering $2.5 million in funding to departments across the state to buy body cameras as part of a four-year, $20 million funding plan for the technology.