Six months after a man died during an arrest, Haverhill Police will have to wear body cameras according to the policies set under a new contract with the patrolman’s union.
The Haverhill City Council approved a new contract with the Police Patrolmen’s Association Union at their Tuesday night meeting.
“The City and the Haverhill Police Patrolman’s Association have worked collaboratively for almost a year to deliver a fair and fiscally responsible contract that demonstrates our commitment to professionalism, training, and safety,” Mayor Melinda E. Barrett said in a statement.
“This agreement includes a body worn camera policy, which has been long sought,” Barrett wrote. “Camera use, management, storage and retrieval of video and audio data are all outlined in the body worn camera policy.”
The new policy comes after Francis Gigliotti, 43, died following a “struggle” with Haverhill Police officers in July. Police said he had been activating erratically in the lead up to his interaction with officers.
The Essex County District Attorney’s Office has been investigating the death, which has since been ruled a homicide. A medical examiner said that Gigliotti succumbed to a cardiac dysrhythmia due to a combination of drug and alcohol intoxication and being restrained by police.
Without police body cameras, investigation into Gigliotti’s death has depended in part on footage and accounts from witnesses on the scene.
Seven police officers involved in the interaction with Gigliotti were put on leave and the department’s leadership has changed twice.
The Haverhill Police Patrolman Association told Channel 5 in a statement that they were “encouraged by the addition of body-worn cameras as an important tool for modern policing.”
“These cameras help protect officers by providing an accurate and unbiased record of interactions, reducing false complaints and misunderstandings,” the statement said. “They also promote transparency and accountability, strengthening trust between officers and the community they serve.”
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