Page 42 - PCPA Winter 2024 Bulletin Magazine

HOW THE PITTSBURGH BUREAU OF POLICE BOOSTED
ACCOUNTABILITY AND BODY-WORN CAMERA COMPLIANCE
How the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Boosted Accountability and
Body-Worn Camera Compliance
In a time when public trust and officer accountability are crucial, the Pittsburgh
Bureau of Police (PBP) demonstrates how a data-driven approach can
transform police culture and enhance policy compliance. Serving 310,000
residents with over 750 officers, PBP launched its body-worn camera (BWC)
program a few years ago to boost transparency and accountability.
Initially, the bureau faced challenges in achieving consistent
BWC adoption. Recognizing this, Chief Larry Scirotto and
his team focused on fostering a culture where officers
saw BWCs as valuable tools rather than mandates. Axon
Performance played a pivotal role in driving this change.
Understanding the Challenge:
Overcoming Low Activation Rates
Introducing BWCs comes with unique challenges.
Nationwide, many departments report low activation rates
due to a variety of factors, including skepticism toward
new technology and a lack of ingrained habits around
camera activation. PBP was no exception, as officers were
initially resistant, while others simply hadn’t developed the
reflex to activate their cameras during every interaction.
Chief Scirotto realized that for the BWC program to reach
its potential, he needed to address this resistance and
showcase how BWCs could benefit both officers and the
community.
The Solution: Data-Driven Accountability
To tackle these challenges, PBP adopted Axon
Performance in 2022, allowing the department to leverage
BWC data. Axon Performance captures and analyzes
key metrics, such as BWC activation rates, and provides
visibility into officer engagement with the technology. This
data-driven approach offered PBP an objective way to
monitor compliance and identify areas for improvement,
while also recognizing officers who consistently followed
BWC policy.
PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
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