PHOENIX — Federal agents in Phoenix have started using body-worn cameras Wednesday, marking the start of the first phase of the program.
The Justice Department said Wednesday that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Phoenix and Detroit Field Divisions began using the cameras during pre-planned law enforcement operations.
In the next several weeks, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Marshals Service will also begin using body-worn cameras.
“Keeping our communities safe is a top priority for the Justice Department,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a press release. “Law enforcement is at its most effective when there is accountability and trust between law enforcement and the community. That is why we have expanded our body worn camera program to our federal agents, to promote transparency and confidence, not only with the communities we serve and protect, but also among our state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners who work alongside our federal agents each day.”
The Justice Department announced in June they would be requiring federal agents to wear cameras while serving arrest warrants or conducting raids.
