The Golden Police Department is proud to announce that Body Worn Cameras (BWC) are now part of all 52 sworn officers’ uniforms as of March 2021. Our policy has been reviewed and meets all legal requirements as outlined in Senate Bill 20-217 Enhancing Law Enforcement Integrity. The policy can be viewed on our website at https://crimewatch.net/us/co/jefferson/golden-pd/145292/content/policy-and-procedure.

Officers will activate cameras when responding to calls for service or during any interaction with the public initiated by the officer, whether the contact is voluntary or involuntary and for the purpose of enforcing the law or investigating possible violations of the law. Officers will have discretion to turn the camera on during other citizen contacts or official duty circumstances, or to turn the camera off to protect sensitive information, privacy of individuals or confidentiality concerns.

After careful consideration, the department moved forward with Axon Enterprise Inc., as the chosen vendor and was able to reach a 10-year $934,269.09 contract for services and equipment. Axon provides full data collection and storage using Evidence.com which offers safe, unlimited data storage and other needed functionality for a successful program. Axon also offers equipment that will automatically activate the camera if a conducted energy weapon (Taser) and/or handgun are pulled from the holster.

Studies across the nation have shown that the presence of BWC's strengthens accountability and assists in de-escalating conflicts between police and members of the community. The department is seeking to enhance our high level of community trust by providing this technology to our members. We hope that the program will improve faith in the police function for the community, provide a useful tool for documenting evidence, provide an opportunity for training officers, and foster an environment of mutual respect during interactions with community. For more information about the program and for any questions, visit GoldenPolice.net.

Informer June 2021 Article “Golden PD Makes Body Worn Cameras Part of All Uniforms”