Thomson, Georgia Police Department Body Worn Camera Project

The Mission of the Thomson Police Department is “to enhance the quality of life of the citizens of Thomson by providing protective police services that are effective, efficient, professional, and timely using community-based partnerships built on cultural diversity, equality, and trust.” 

The City of Thomson, Georgia, has a diverse population of 6,553 residents. The city has an elevated poverty rate with pockets of higher crime rates. The Mayor and new Chief of Police have prioritized updating the police department with the latest technology to improve the safety of their citizens, provide more transparency to the community, enhance the safety of police officers, and increase the quality of evidence for local prosecutors. Community leaders believe these cameras will ultimately reduce citizen complaints and minimize liability for police officers and the city.

The Thomson Police Department seeks this grant to purchase 17 worn-body cameras and the required equipment. These cameras will be distributed to the 15 sworn police officers. The Thomson Police Department is actively recruiting new officers and will need two additional cameras as the department grows. While the department purchased 16 worn-body cameras in 2017, only three remain in operation. The three remaining cameras only have the capability to record for eight hours, while a shift typically lasts 12 hours. This leaves police officers without a means to record citizen interactions for four hours. This new worn-body camera system will expand the department’s existing program.

The chief of the Thomson Police Department has created a three-person implementation team. Each team member will have roles and responsibilities assigned to them that include training officers, recording and retention of video evidence, and updating the current Standard Operating Procedures for worn-body cameras.

The goals of the Thomson Police Department’s worn-body camera program are:

Provide citizenry confidence in law enforcement practices through transparency, legitimacy, and accountability
Ensure policies and procedures are consistent with applicable local, state, and federal laws
Implement a planned and phased approach that will achieve broad support from local leadership, the prosecutor’s office, and community members
Develop a comprehensive plan which addresses access to and sharing body camera evidence with the prosecutor’s office to help with improving criminal justice outcomes
Ensure police officers are properly trained and understand when and how to use worn-body cameras

When the Thomson Police Department is awarded this grant, the program will be fully implemented by February 2023.