Reston Police Will Get Body Cameras

RESTON, VA -- Police in Reston will be outfitted with body-worn cameras as part of a pilot program by the Fairfax County Police Department.

Reston District Station has been added to the pilot program, which is scheduled to launch this March. It will join the Mount Vernon and Mason district stations.

"The Reston area was chosen because it differs from the two police districts already included in the program," reads a Fairfax County Police Department statement. "The patrol areas within the Reston District include a number of high-rise buildings as well as stops along Metro’s Silver Line. Additionally, our Reston District Police Station is the newest building among our stations, and already has the physical infrastructure in place to accommodate the technical needs of the program."

It was possible to expand the program to Reston because the police department discovered that they would have more cameras at their disposal than they thought. The 230 cameras that would be used as part of the pilot program were originally intended for every patrol officer in the Mount Vernon and Mason stations, but the police department decided it would be best to have a control group without cameras in each station to "allow for a more accurate compilation of data."

"As a result, only half the patrol officers in each of the stations will be issued a body worn camera," the statement adds. "This leaves a number of cameras available, and allows for the opportunity to add a third district station to the pilot program. It also gives other officers a chance to test and evaluate the equipment."

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