Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Launches Body Camera Pilot Program to Enhance Safety and Transparency
February 18, 2025
Contact: media.dpscs@maryland.gov
Baltimore, MD - The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) is launching its body-worn camera pilot program. During the pilot, correctional officers will wear the cameras during their shifts to refine their implementation before an agency-wide rollout which is planned for later this year. The pilot will officially launch on the following dates:
- February 19, 2025 - Patuxent Institute
- February 25, 2025 - Eastern Correctional Institute
- March 5, 2025 - North Branch Correctional Institute
- March 12, 2025 - Maryland Correctional Institute for Women
- March 19, 2025 - Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center
Recognizing the importance of accountability, safety, and transparency in correctional environments, DPSCS is partnering with Axon Corrections to deploy these advanced body-worn cameras. The devices will help enhance situational awareness, support staff adherence to new evidence-based practices, and expedite investigative processes.
"Body-worn cameras are a critical tool in modern corrections," said DPSCS Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. "This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring the safety of our officers, the incarcerated population, and the public, while also strengthening transparency within our facilities."
Studies have shown that body-worn cameras contribute to significant reductions in excessive force complaints, assaults on staff, incarcerated individuals grievances, and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaints. By documenting interactions in real time, these cameras serve as an essential safeguard, fostering accountability and trust in the correctional system.
DPSCS remains committed to enhancing security, professionalism, and public confidence in Maryland's correctional system. The implementation of body-worn cameras represents a major step forward in the department's ongoing mission to prioritize safety, transparency, and integrity across all correctional facilities.
About the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services DPSCS is one of Maryland's largest agencies, responsible for overseeing state correctional institutions, parole and probation services, and other public safety initiatives. The department is dedicated to protecting the public, its employees, and the justice-involved individuals in its care through evidence-based practices and progressive reform efforts.