For Immediate Release: April 18, 2023

ALEXANDRIA, Va. —  The Alexandria Police Department is proud to announce the official deployment of body-worn cameras (BWC) for its officers, which started Monday, April 17, 2023. The deployment of BWCs is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and community policing.

BWCs are an essential tool that will help enhance public trust, protect the rights of both officers and civilians, and provide an unbiased record of interactions between law enforcement and the public. The use of body cameras will promote transparency by providing an additional layer of documentation that can be used in investigations and court proceedings.

“APD is excited to implement the body-worn camera program,” said Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes. “We remain committed to building positive relationships with our community and continuously improving our policing practices to ensure the safety and well-being of all Alexandrians.”

The BWCs are worn by officers on their uniforms and will capture video and audio recordings of law enforcement activities, including traffic stops, arrests, and interactions with the public. The camera footage will be stored securely following all departmental policies.

“As part of the deployment, APD will conduct comprehensive training for our officers on the proper use of body cameras, including when to activate and deactivate the cameras, as well as how to handle and store the recorded data,” said Lt. Jason North, Chief of Staff and the BWC program coordinator. “The department has also established guidelines and protocols for the handling, review, and release of body camera footage to ensure compliance with legal requirements and protection of privacy rights of individuals.”

“Police were behind in having something to record from their point of view,” said Yvonne Callahan, community activist and contributor to the BWC policy. “The cameras will help by providing reassurance that the police are acting appropriately, and [the footage] is going to provide a more comprehensive picture to the public at large.”  

APD plans to conduct a rolling deployment for the BWC program by deploying 30 cameras a month until each sworn officer is assigned a camera.  

Chief Hayes would like to express his gratitude to Alexandria’s elected and City leadership, various internal and external stakeholders, including the City Manager's Office, Commonwealth Attorney's Office, City Attorney's Office, Information Technology Department, Sheriff's Office, Office of Human Rights, General Services, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Communications and Public Information, General Services, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Fairfax County Police, Arlington Police, NAACP, Alexandria Families for Safe Streets, and Independent Policing Auditor for their invaluable contributions in the development of this program. 

He would also like to acknowledge the many professional organizations, community groups, schools, hospitals, police labor groups, and individual volunteers, whose time and expertise have been instrumental in creating a program that is responsive to best practices and expectations of the Alexandria community. 

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For APD media inquiries, contact Marcel Bassett, Public Information Officer, at Marcel.Bassett@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.6600. 

This press release is available at: Alexandriava.gov/go/4546