Tiverton Police Body Camera Program A Full Go After Successful Pilot

TIVERTON, RI — Following a successful pilot program, the Tiverton Police Department have issued body cameras for all its officers, Police Chief Patrick Jones said Wednesday.

The department's pilot program began in September 2022. Full program implementation started Feb. 15, with all officers being issued a body-worn camera — including Jones and Deputy Chief James Costa. The entire department also received training on how the device operates and functions.

Officers are now required by department policy to wear the body-worn camera at all times during their shift. Policy dictates that they activate the camera during all interactions with the public, including a call for service, any investigative or enforcement activity, at the beginning of any pursuit or emergency driving, and when the officer is assisting another officer in any of the above situations.

The body-worn camera will automatically activate under certain circumstances, including when the officer's stun gun or gun is taken out of its holster. Officers will keep in consideration the expectation of privacy when activating the body-worn camera in certain areas, such as private homes or hospitals, Jones said.

Officers are also encouraged to tell people they are being recorded as soon as it is practical during police interactions.

The department’s full body-worn camera policy, including expectations regarding activation and deactivation, retention and access to recordings, is available online through the Tiverton Police Department website.

Jones said before the launch of the program, Tiverton police conducted research into policy and best practices, vetted vendors, worked with the selected vendor to tailor the system for the department’s needs, and developed formal policies for camera use and data storage. The department worked with Axon to purchase the cameras, which are embedded in officers' uniforms to prevent them from detaching.

Tiverton police purchased 31 body-worn cameras, which were paid for with a $271,250 grant from the state and the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant awarded to the Tiverton Police Department was part of $16 million in grant awards for 42 law enforcement agencies that were announced by state, federal and law enforcement leaders in October 2022.

"Body-worn camera programs in Rhode Island have been long in the making, and we are pleased to have this technology for our department," Jones said. "I am grateful to the local and state officials and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs' Association for their support of this program, as well as Sgt. Jason Kobelecki who spearheaded the implementation of our program."

"Body-worn cameras are well-regarded technology for modern police departments, and we look forward to seeing how the program can help us promote progress, transparency and public trust," Jones added.

Jones said the benefits of a body-worn camera program are well-established. Using the cameras improves accountability, transparency and professionalism.

Work to equip police officers with body-worn cameras across the state of Rhode Island has been ongoing in recent years.

In 2020, Rhode Island police departments signed onto the Twenty for 2020 campaign, which included 20 promises made by police chiefs across the state to adopt and follow best practices to carry out duties fairly and impartially. As part of this initiative, each police department pledged to explore establishing a body-worn camera program, and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association pledged to explore funding and policy guidance to support these programs.

In June 2021, Gov. Dan McKee signed legislation creating the statewide body-worn camera program to equip every frontline police officer with cameras. Attorney General Peter Neronha and the RI Department of Public Safety, in consultation with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, were tasked with implementing the program, including promulgating rules and regulations to create statewide policy and eventually administer funding for departments to deploy body-worn cameras to officers.

In December 2021, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation secured a $1.5 million Department of Justice grant to supplement state funding for the program. Under the program, state and municipal police departments applied for grant funding to cover the projected cost of cameras and related hardware, software, and storage, and an agency’s administrative costs in operating body-worn cameras.