Worcester Police To Get Pay Bump For Body Camera Program: Contract

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester City Council will be asked to increase pay for police officers who wear body cameras following the start of the new technology program in February.

The Local 911-NEPBA entered into negotiations with the city before the rollout of the bodycams, arguing that officers should be compensated for wearing the cameras, which the union said was a change in working conditions.

According to a salary ordinance amendment sent to councilors this week, officers would get a $650 stipend before June, and then $1,300 per year annually. The stipend would "count toward

members’ retirement, and all appropriate contributions, withholdings and deductions shall be made therefrom," according to documents sent to city councilors.

The bodycam program began on Feb. 27, and at the time there was no agreement over the stipend amount between the city and the police union, officials said.

RELATED: Worcester Releases First Police Bodycam Video As Program Begins

The stipends could add around $400,000 in new annual salary costs with about 300 officers who will be wearing bodycams. Worcester purchased body cameras and Taser weapons from Seattle-based Axon in a package that cost of close to $4 million. The city is also planning to hire three new public records officers to work on redacting bodycam videos. Those positions were advertised earlier this year with salaries ranging from $63,657 to $83,402.

The IBPO Local 504 police union, which represents ranking officers, was also negotiating with the city over stipends related to the bodycam program.

Largely due to overtime earnings, Worcester police are among the most highly compensated city workers last year. The average officer earned $114,806 in 2022, according to a Worcester Business Journal analysis. That's close to double the average pay across all employees, which was $61,129 in 2022, the WBJ reported.

The bodycam stipends are on the Worcester City Council agenda for Tuesday.