BPPA President Patrick Rose admitted in court Tuesday the union did not want its officers wearing the cameras.
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After a hearing on the dispute between the city and a police union over the Boston Police body camera program concluded its second day Wednesday, the judge in the case said he would have a ruling by noon Friday.
The union is arguing the city violated its agreement – inked July 12 – because the pilot was supposed to be voluntary. The Boston Globe reported that the union warned its members not to wear the cameras, and posted a notice saying there would be a “sanction” for volunteers.
Attorneys on both sides stated in court they were surprised not enough officers volunteered.
“We know we’re going to have cameras on … all I ever looked for was an agreement that took care of the things we wanted to take care of”, said Rose.
Police in Boston are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a woman early Monday morning.
The union’s lawyer, John Becker, said the city was conducting an experiment with the body cameras and “using our officers to do it”. A few officers were subsequently chosen to wear the cameras by a consultant Evans hired.
SC lawmakers approved almost $6 million for body cameras earlier this year, spurred by a bystander’s 2015 video showing a white North Charleston police officer shooting an unarmed black driver as he ran from a traffic stop.
Evans testified that the program has been delayed repeatedly and said he has the authority to assign the cameras to officers.
“I’ve realized more and more what value (cameras) have given, with what’s gone on in this country”, he said. He said renegotiating with the union and soliciting volunteers at this point “will only further delay the start of the program”.
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The judge did not immediately rule on the union’s injunction request.
