Inglewood police officers to finally wear body-worn cameras

After years of resisting body-worn cameras for its police officers, the city of Inglewood became one step closer to equipping its police officers with body-worn cameras.

The Inglewood City Council pass the proposal to implement news technology for the Inglewood Police Department ahead of large-scale, international events, including the FIFA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

By accepting $6.28 million grant from the state, the city will receive on-body cameras for police officers, automated license plate readers, digital evidence management platform, drone technology and in-car video systems.

The approved motion was quickly signed by the city clerk and Mayor James Butts, who had been skeptical of body cams. He had said previously police can ensure public safety through training and better internal culture rather than tech devices.

“We are overhauling the entire computer matrix of the Inglewood Police Department. We are putting in a new system that is going to integrate with our cameras that we have out in the field. It’s going to be integrated with our computer and dispatch system and it will come with a body-worn camera system that is integrated into that system,” Mayor Butts said.

The mayor’s office said the new tech devices will support the city’s crime suppression efforts as Inglewood saw a reduction in overall crime by 13% in 2025 and a 60% drop in homicides.

But for some, including the family of 37-year-old Bryan Bostic, it took too long for Inglewood police to have body-worn cameras. Bostic died last month while in Inglewood police custody after he was pulled over. The family claimed if police were recording, they would know why Bostic was pulled over and what led to his death.

“Inglewood is not safe. Inglewood is not a place to be. Many tourists are out here … and still no safety for the community,” Marie Darden, Bostic’s aunt, said. “I just think somebody needs to give our family some type of answers at this time.”

City officials told NBCLA that officers could be wearing the cameras as early as this December.

More than 80% of police departments across the nation have body cams for their officers, according to a 2022 survey.