On the road in Methuen, Massachusetts, patrol officer Matthew Morel, is armed with a new tool - a body camera attached to his uniform.
The Methuen Police Department has become the first in the Bay State deploy the cameras.
"I think in cases where people may try to file cases that aren't justifiable, it'll shed light to the truth and prevent a lot of false reporting of officer misconduct," Morel said.
It's hoped the cameras will make things safer and more transparent for both officers and the public.
When dealing with a traffic stop or a call, officers must turn the camera on and tell the people they're interacting with that they're being recorded.
For younger officers like Morel, who's only in his first year, body cameras will always be routine, but for the veteran officers, it's a big change.
"I think a lot of people ... kind of resist the change," said Methuen Police Sgt. Tom McMenamon. "Once they got their hands on it, they realized how easy the technology was to use and how beneficial it was going to be to them, they were excited to get it."
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For traffic stops that end up being routine, the recordings will be saved for about six months. But for criminal cases, they'll be saved as long as they're needed for evidence.
