#somerville

Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · 22h ago

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

Update: On July 23rd, the Mayor introduced a new version of the STIR and TSSUP for police #bodycameras in #Somerville. The new documents clarify a number of policy points, but don't substantively address the concerns we've highlighted in our toolkit above. #surveillance #policing #MAPol #SomervilleMA #privacy

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · Apr 29, 2026

Replying to on better.boston

Last night the #Somerville Legislative Matters Committee decided to hold the #bodycameras proposal in committee rather than voting to approve it. It's not clear what the next steps will be (stay tuned), but for now they are not moving forward on the proposal for body cameras without civilian oversight. Thank you so much to everyone who wrote or called in to council to express concern about the city's proposal! #MAPol #SomervilleMA #surveillance

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · May 07, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

For anyone interested in a more complete update on the #Somerville #bodycameras deliberations, one of my collaborators put together this document summarizing ways to support our organizing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSLHo6CD3P8L-EGbsr7pqxXf0CaU1A-XhsXV95ES43uPehjHgTpnwEORUTq_H_87V3nw2cEwSTgSMnY/pub #surveillance #SomervilleMA #MAPol #MAPoli

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · May 08, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

From one of our #Somerville City Councilors: https://jonforsomerville.beehiiv.com/p/on-body-worn-cameras #SomervilleMA #bodycameras #citybudgets

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · Jun 10, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

There's another update on #Somerville #BodyCameras posted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS6Lvi0cNzhztgzCyB-Ie28CSLJi1xzYOg6mEpNvXN_SJO4Dhyy2F6ZZJk-lBwd3zCissDDkIUXCu86/pub We finally have the memorandum of understanding on body cameras, and unfortunately it still says the data will be controlled by the police, with civilians only able to access the footage through public records requests. #MAPol #SomervilleMA #surveillance

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · Jun 10, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

The memorandum of understanding on body cameras also still gives police the right to review footage before filing reports, which is problematic because: 1) #bodycamera footage offers a distorted low quality view of what happened, 2) human memory is mutable so officers' memories of what happened may change to accommodate what they think they see in the footage, and 3) it gives the opportunity for an officer acting in bad faith to check what misrepresentations they can get away with. #Somerville

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · Jun 10, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

Up until now, Somerville's official 2026 conversations about #bodycamera policy for #Somerville have largely occurred in non-public executive sessions because the negotiations were tied to the police collective bargaining process, and we are now in budget season, which means that there's danger of the process being fast-tracked without properly public deliberation.

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · Jun 10, 2026

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

The ad hoc group I've been organizing with has submitted a petition for a public hearing about #Somerville #bodycameras. Per city charter, City Council must hold a public hearing within three months. Please stay tuned! #surveillance #policing

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · 2d ago

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

Here is the latest update from the Somerville ad hoc group working on the body cameras issue: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRiU1P7QeQoR9Tbx-xr1wzevoa7D5UnRo8kRdEws6CFHLEgDCU7EzDkR60PAv4Rk0FByuZemkjya95c/pub The very short version is that the Mayor is still trying to rush this specific body cameras policy through without proper deliberation and that #Somerville is holding a special meeting on July 27th for public comment *and* a vote. This is *not* the public comment session that was requested by petition. #bodycameras #SomervilleMA #policing #surveillance #privacy #MAPol

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Alexandra Thorn @athorn@better.boston · 2d ago

Replying to @athorn@better.boston

We're asking #Somerville residents concerned about the rushed process on body camera policy to attend the special meeting on July 27th to insist on proper deliberation. We have an action toolkit here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ8FOlm5fCo7-s3jubaDq79i0hHhamUw-o7DTxcLpo4GaBwuGvBNPiZy-d_RB6gvKmh6fSivtO42CZ7/pub #bodycameras #policing #surveillance #privacy #MAPol #Somerville MA

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KNIZER @knizer@toot.boston · 1d ago

Replying to @knizer@toot.boston

#BostonWeekend Thru Sun - MUSIC - NICE - multi-venue music festival in #DavisSquare #Somerville https://www.niceafest.com #BostonMusic #Boston

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