The Latest: Police update on body camera test

BOSTON – The Latest on the Boston Police Department’s body-worn camera pilot program (all times local):

5:50 p.m.

Boston police say the 100 officers assigned body cameras in a pilot program have so far generated more than 10,000 videos spanning nearly 1,500 hours.

Lt. Mike McCarthy provided the information to The Associated Press on Friday afternoon. Hours earlier, the AP had reported that information on the pilot program was lacking.

McCarthy says that so far there have been 72 reports of camera recording failures due to technical malfunctions. He says the department has so far spent nearly $85,000 on the pilot.

Civil rights groups had said they had concerns about the program’s transparency. And researchers who plan a study say they haven’t been able to begin work because they didn’t have all the funding.

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10:30 a.m.

Civil rights groups are concerned about transparency as the Boston Police Department’s test of body-worn cameras reaches its halfway mark this week.

Researchers tell The Associated Press that a study meant to assess the six-month pilot launched Sept. 12 is not yet underway. And activists say law enforcement officials haven’t provided updates three months into the half-year pilot program.

Police spokesman Michael McCarthy tells the AP that the pilot is “progressing as planned” but declined to provide further details.

Jack McDevitt is a researcher at Northeastern University. He says his team hasn’t started work simply because it has not secured financing.

Segun Idowu (shuh-GUN’ EE’-duh-woo) is co-founder of a local group that pushed for the cameras. He says the lack of transparency is troubling.