BOSTON — Superintendent-In-Chief William Gross and seven other members of the Boston Police command staff have volunteered to wear body-cameras. Friday, a judge is set to decide whether or not officers will be forced to wear them as part of a controversial pilot program that's being challenged by the union.
The police union filed an injunction after 100 officers were assigned to wear body-cameras as part of the pilot program. Officers were assigned the cameras after no one volunteered.
“I think it shows the accountability and transparency we want to send. Those commanders are out on the street,” BPD Commissioner William Evans said.
Evans asked members of his command staff to volunteer to wear the cameras to demonstrate the department’s willingness to explore the tool. He said the bickering with the police union was reflecting poorly on the department.
FOX25's Crystal Haynes spoke with Chief Gross, who said he started wearing the camera several weeks ago.
The eight commanders will be participating in normal duties, including responding to critical incidents and overseeing special events. They will not be part of the study group on how the cameras function.
The patrolman's union has filed a lawsuit in superior court claiming that assigning the 100 cameras was a violation of their contract.