Littleton Police Department Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Implementation Program

The City of Littleton, Colorado, is a suburb just south of Denver, with a growing population, estimated at 48,065. The Littleton Police Department (LPD) uses a dynamic approach to policing in the 21st century, where technology has become crucial for successful transparent law enforcement.  The Body-Worn Camera (BWC) initiative is key to furthering the goals of transparency, accountability, officer safety and community trust.  Community support for BWC’s is clear through statements of support provided by various local organizations.  BWC’s are required by the State of Colorado, by July 2023, because of their overwhelming importance in law enforcement.  Prior to the unfunded state mandate, LPD had taken significant steps towards BWC implementation, including product research, data management assessments, policy reviews, and independent market research.

Department goals are:

Full BWC deployment to all commissioned officers within the police department.
Create a sense of transparency between the community and the police department, through accessibility of BWC footage. 
Implementation and regular review of BWC policies and procedures to ensure up to date policing tactics with fairness to the community in mind. 
Incorporate the BWC into new officer training academies and in-service trainings for the entire department.

LPD has successfully implemented large scale projects similar to BWC’s, using proven project management principles, including a regional system upgrade to new RMS and CAD platforms, Taser X26 and Taser X2 rollouts, and most recently a full implementation for a DRONE program.

Achieving a successful implementation of BWC is possible because of the outstanding relationships LPD has developed within the City including the City Manager’s Office, Finance, Information Technology, the City Attorney’s Office and City Council.  LPD in conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office, Littleton Municipal Courts, Littleton Public Schools, the Regional Transportation District, and the Downtown Business Association will utilize the BWC program to increase community safety with transparent law enforcement and appropriate adjudication of cases.

After implementation of BWC’s the following deliverables are expected:

Deployment of BWC’s to all LPD commissioned officers
Enhancements and sustainability to the technology infrastructure
Development and review of strong policies for BWC use
Complete independent evaluation of the BWC’s success
Continued community partnerships and participation in the future success of the BWC program

Using a comprehensive and community-based approach to implementing BWC’s will foster positive community relationships as well as transparency, creating a safer environment in Littleton.