Assistant Superintendent Carol Kruser talks about the school resource officers and their body worn cameras at the Dec. 3 School Committee meeting.
Photo credit: ChicopeeTV
CHICOPEE — Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services Carol Kruser and representatives from the Chicopee Police Department joined the Dec. 3 School Committee meeting to discuss school resource officers and their body-worn cameras following a grant that was awarded to enhance public trust with policing.
Sergeant Brett Nichols, the schools’ supervisor for the SROs, and Bill Schwartz, Chicopee’s Real Time Information Center director, joined the meeting to discuss the body cameras further.
Kruser explained that the School Committee, as well as families and staff, received a notice that the Police Department received a grant that makes officers wear body-worn cameras.
The grant was for $250,000 from the state to improve public safety and enhance trust with policing.
Because the SROs in Chicopee Public Schools are technically their own entity, they are also equipped with body cameras. The camera is either worn on the chest or belt of the officer.
Kruser explained that the cameras are only turned on during “suspected criminal activity, emergencies requiring police assistance, violent incidents, intruder situations and use of force.”
They are not used in classroom activities, administrative meetings or administrative discipline issues.
Kruser also stated the officers are “very cautious” about using them near guidance offices, locker rooms and bathrooms.
The Police Department and Chicopee Public Schools made sure to discuss the use of the cameras so everyone feels safe while maintaining their privacy.
Kruser further stated, “We really appreciate the strong collaboration we have with the Police Department, and we’ve spent a lot of time with an [memorandum of understanding] and putting language in to make sure we’re following the rules.”
The School Committee will eventually vote on a policy regarding the body-worn cameras, but Kruser stated that a policy is listed in the memorandum of understanding, and the Police Department also has their own policy.
Nichols explained that if the Police Department records an incident, they have the ability to blur faces or documents to protect privacy.
“There’s safeguards in place so stuff will not be released,” he stated.
Nichols said the length of time that recording is retained is based on if the recording is evidence or not.
He explained, “If they accidentally turn it on, that will be deleted quickly. The officer would categorize that as accidental, and it will delete automatically.”
There is no way for the SRO to delete the footage themselves, according to Nichols.
