Hollywood Police Department Body-Worn Cameras

The City of Hollywood is a principal city of the Broward County Metropolitan Area.  With a resident population of approximately 155,000 (2020 US Census) and a jurisdictional boundary spanning approximately 30 square miles of land and 17.5 miles of waterway, Hollywood is the 3rd largest municipality in Broward County, and the 12th largest in the State of Florida.  Broward County has a resident population of over 1.95 million (2020 US Census), making it the 17th most populous county in the United States.

    The City of Hollywood Police Department (Hollywood Police Department) is an accredited Law Enforcement Agency that employs approximately 327 full time sworn law enforcement officers and approximately 30 civilian community service officers.  The Hollywood Police Department is responsible for handling all 911 calls for service within the city limits, pro-actively patrolling its jurisdiction, and responding to any mutual aid request in the Broward County Metropolitan Area, including Port Everglades and the Ft. Lauderdale/ Hollywood International Airport.  The Hollywood Police Department responds to approximately 218,000 calls for service annually and maintains the 3rd largest law enforcement agency in Broward County.

    Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) were first introduced to Law enforcement in the United States of America in 2012. The National Institute of Justice released data in 2018 showing the positive effect BWCs were having on Law Enforcement. .  The Hollywood Police Department recognizes the investigational, administrative and relationship building benefits BWCs can provide.  Technology has vastly improved and although the costs for this technology have become more affordable, there are still budgetary restrictions that prohibit purchasing such technologies.  The Hollywood Police Department has been unable to secure funding to support BWCs due to volatile markets and a financial urgency that caused a severe reduction of the operating budget.

    The Hollywood Police Department Command Staff as well as the Governmental Officials for the City of Hollywood are committed to implementing a successful and effective BWC program for the Department.  The Hollywood Police Department is one of the last Law Enforcement Agencies in Broward County to implement a BWC program at any level.  The City of Hollywood has acknowledged the need for BWCs, and although the cost burden of a full scale BWC program is not presently within the City budget, they have pledged to support the program in the coming years following the Grant funding period.  With the support of this Grant, the Hollywood Police Department will be able to successfully initiate a BWC program in partnership with Axon International who will supply the technology, and purchase 531 BWC’s and the associated hardware/software, allowing all uniform officers to carry and employ the benefits of BWCs.