Howard County launches police body-worn camera program
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. -- The body-worn camera program for Howard County law enforcement officers goes live Monday.
That means hundreds of police officers and sheriff's deputies will be equipped with the recording devices when they have interactions, such as traffic stops, with members of the public.
Monday's implementation of the body-worn camera program marks the culmination of years of efforts to get the program up and running, including a pilot program that ended in 2018.
"After years of planning, it is gratifying to reach the point where we are fully implementing a program that will bring immediate benefits to our officers and our community," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement.
Ball, who has supported body cameras and a renewed focus on community policing since his stint as a member of the Howard County Council, said the program represents a "critical step toward increased transparency and accountability in Howard County."
Under the program, 300 police officers and 54 sheriff's deputies will be equipped with body-worn cameras. Those officers and deputies, who routinely interface with the public while on duty, will be required to wear and operate the cameras during certain interactions.
Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der called the body-worn camera program a "reflection of the county's commitment to the outstanding relationships of trust and transparency our police department has long-established with the community."
"It is always our goal to offer the best possible practices in law enforcement to the Howard County community," Chief Der said. "Body cameras will now be another tool to help us achieve that. We remain committed to respecting and protecting all of the people we serve."
Vehicles and holsters are being outfitted with sensors that will automatically activate body-worn cameras whenever an officer switches on their vehicle's emergency lights and sirens and every time they switch on a taser or remove a firearm from its holster, the county said.
The county has set aside funding in its budget for fiscal year 2023 to purchase more cameras for all remaining officers, such as detectives and non-uniformed officers.
As part of the program, the State's Attorney's Office has hired 15 new employees to manage the caseload involved with storing, reviewing and redacting footage recorded by the cameras. They will be responsible for providing footage related to defendants' cases.
State Attorney Rich Gibson said his officer has spent the past eight months to staff and train the unit responsible for overseeing its side of the body-worn camera program.
"We hope that as we begin to employ this new technology, the public will discover that BWC's are not only helpful in viewing law enforcement's interaction with the public, but also serve as an invaluable tool, from an evidence perspective, in prosecuting a case and securing a conviction."
