LEGAL NEWSLINE

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine announced the release of a new report on the use of body-worn cameras (“BWCs”) by Maine law enforcement.   

 The report is a culmination of a study initiated by Attorney General Frey in late 2023, during which the Maine Statistical Analysis Center of the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine explored nationally recognized best practices and gathered current information on BWC use, policies, costs, and trends in Maine.  It provides highlights from the latest national research on BWCs, a snapshot of the use of BWCs in Maine, and an analysis of the policies that have been formulated in Maine to guide their use.

 “Body-worn cameras are widely supported by the public and are being utilized at higher rates than ever by law enforcement agencies. They are a critical tool in assessing equitable policing and ensuring public confidence in law enforcement,” said Attorney General Frey. “This study gives us a Maine-specific baseline to continue important conversations with law enforcement agencies, policymakers and the public about improving our systems.”

 Cutler Institute’s Key Findings

Researchers surveyed all law enforcement departments (municipal, county, state, tribal, and university/college) statewide, with an overall response rate of 77%. They also interviewed a dozen justice system stakeholders, including law enforcement leaders from a variety of jurisdictions, geographic locations, and department size, as well as prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys, a member of the press, and community members with expertise in advocacy related to mental health, substance use disorder, racial justice, and domestic and sexual violence.

Key findings included that as of January 2024,

• 70% of law enforcement agencies who responded were using BWCs.
• 21% of responders were considering BWCs.
• only 8% of those who responded indicated they were not considering BWCs.
• nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) reported associated costs of $10,000 or less annually.

“The fiscal burden on smaller departments and municipalities is considerable and estimating costs depends on variables such as the number of officers, cameras and docking systems, data storage, personnel to oversee, etc. However, the literature suggests that the benefits outweigh the cost in terms of greater public confidence/trust in law enforcement,” mentioned George Shaler, Senior Research Associate at USM’s Cutler Institute and one of the report’s co-authors.

 Law enforcement leaders and key stakeholders also cited perceived benefits of BWCs. The evidentiary benefits of BWC footage were noted by all stakeholders. In addition to the challenges of funding BWC programs, the study highlighted some gaps and areas of inconsistency in Maine regarding current use of BWCs. For example, there is a lack of consistency and clarity regarding the length of retention of records and cooperation with the state’s public records law.

 The report concludes with a list of recommendations to address gaps in legislation, strengthen existing BWC policy, and pursue potential BWC funding streams. A more detailed explanation of the recommendations can be found in the report.

Original source can be found here.