FREETOWN Freetown police officers will start wearing body cameras next month, Chief Scott Rose announced Friday. The department will begin deploying its new Axon body-worn camera system at 4 p.m. Nov. 6, Rose said.
The cameras record audio and video of police encounters. The department said the program is meant to strengthen evidence collection, help in reviewing incidents, support officer training and make its work more transparent to the people it serves.
"Our officers work hard every day to earn and maintain the trust of the people we serve," Rose said in a statement. "Body-worn cameras provide an additional tool to document that work, support accountability, and help us better understand the circumstances surrounding police encounters."
When the cameras will record
Officers will be trained on the equipment and on the department's policy before they use the cameras in the field, the department said. The policy decides when officers turn the cameras on and record, and it sets requirements for enforcement encounters and for moments when privacy is at stake or a situation is sensitive.
Residents can expect to see officers wearing the cameras while on duty, but the cameras will not record every interaction or run continuously through an officer's shift, the department said. They are meant to document the encounters the policy covers.
Recordings will be stored securely, and department policy and the law will govern who can see them, how long they are kept and when they are released.
More than six months of work with the union
The rollout follows more than six months of work between department administrators and union representatives on a policy for how the cameras are used, the department said. That work focused on setting clear expectations for officers while weighing what the department needs to operate and the privacy of residents.
Rose credited Sgt. Ashley with representing union members through the policy work and Lt. Levesque with preparing the equipment, developing the training and coordinating the technical side of the rollout.
"This program reflects a substantial amount of preparation and cooperation," Rose said. "I appreciate everyone who helped bring it forward and our officers' continued commitment to serving Freetown with professionalism and respect."
What happens next
The department said it will evaluate the program as the rollout goes on and adjust its training and procedures as needed. Questions about the program can go to the department's public information officer at 508-763-4017.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every fact comes from the Freetown Police Department's release announcing the program, posted on its website Oct. 23 at 2:26 p.m. We read it Oct. 23 at 3:03 p.m. and quote it word for word. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. Not heard: we are asking the department about the cost, how the cameras were paid for, how many will be in use and how residents can request a recording, and we will add its answers.
Corrections
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Sources (1)
- Freetown Police Department: Freetown Police Department Announces Launch of BWC Program (press release, Oct. 23, 2026)Freetown Police Department release, posted Oct. 23, 2026, at 2:26 p.m.: Axon body-worn cameras deployed starting Nov. 6, 2026, at 4 p.m.; purposes; training and activation policy; recordings, retention and release; not continuous recording; more than six months of policy work with union representatives; Sgt. Ashley and Lt. Levesque credited; two quotes from Chief Scott Rose; evaluation; public information officer, (508) 763-4017. Read Oct. 23, 2026, 3:03 p.m.