Public Safety Technology

What It Is

Body-worn cameras are small cameras worn by officers that record police-public interactions. These recordings help document incidents, support criminal investigations and prosecutions, provide evidence for court proceedings, and assist in reviewing complaints, commendations, use-of-force incidents, and other documented events. Body-worn camera use is governed by department policy, which establishes when cameras should be activated, how recordings are handled, how long evidence is retained, how recordings may be reviewed, and when video may be released in accordance with applicable law and public records requirements.

How We Use It

Body-worn cameras provide an objective record of police interactions and help officers, supervisors, investigators, prosecutors, and community members better understand documented events. While body-worn cameras are one tool among many, they support accountability, evidence-based review, and transparency.

Who Uses Body-Worn Cameras

Body-worn cameras are used across many frontline, investigative, and specialty assignments, including:

• Patrol
• Traffic
• SWAT
• K-9
• Street Crimes Units
• Gang Enforcement
• School Resource Officers
• Mental Health Support Team
• Mesa Gateway Airport
• Task Force Assignments
• Civilian Investigators
• Bike Unit
• Criminal Investigation Units

Patrol Sergeants and Patrol Lieutenants were also issued body-worn cameras beginning in 2022. Camera assignments are reviewed periodically based on staffing, operational needs, inventory, and department priorities.

Privacy & Digital Evidence Security

Body-worn camera recordings are stored as digital evidence within a secure, Criminal Justice Information Services-compliant evidence management system designed to protect the integrity and security of evidence. Access is limited based on authorized roles and responsibilities, while release of recordings follows established legal requirements and public records processes.

Evidence Management

As of April 2026, the department maintains nearly 4 million digital evidence files, occupying almost 1 petabyte of secure storage. As body-worn camera use has expanded, the department continues to evaluate evidence management tools to ensure they remain secure, reliable, and practical for operational needs.

Program History

Mesa Police began using body-worn cameras in 2012 with an initial deployment of 50 cameras. The program expanded to 350 cameras and later 458 cameras for Patrol and Traffic personnel. In 2021, the department expanded to 669 camera systems, allowing broader deployment across the organization. In late 2024, Mesa PD deployed the Axon Body 4 system. As of May 2026, approximately 684 body-worn cameras are assigned throughout the department. 

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology captures images of vehicle license plates and compares them against limited criminal justice databases and department-approved hotlists. The system is designed to assist with specific public safety and investigative purposes while operating under strict limits on how data is used, who can access it, and how long it is retained.

How We Use It

The system helps locate:

• Homicide Suspects
• Rape Suspects 
• Armed Robbery Suspect
• Kidnapping Suspects
• Aggravated Assault Suspects 
• Stolen vehicles
• Missing persons
• Vehicles associated with specific criminal investigations

Every alert generated by the system is vetted by RTCC personnel before an officer is notified. This verification includes confirming the alert is valid, re-checking a vehicle's stolen status or associated records, reviewing related reports for investigative context, and, when possible, locating the vehicle through other available camera systems. This process reduces false alerts, mitigates liability, and improves officer safety by allowing responding personnel to develop a coordinated plan before making contact.

What It Is Not Used For

Mesa PD does not use ALPR technology to:

• Identify drivers
• Continuously monitor members of the public
• Track vehicles without a legitimate public safety purpose
• Enforce immigration laws or support activities conducted under the 287(g) program
• Share information with federal partners for immigration enforcement purposes

ALPR cameras are aimed only at the rear license plate of a vehicle. Automated alerts are limited to specific public safety categories established by department policy.

Access Controls

Mesa PD maintains one of the most restrictive ALPR access models encountered by RTCC personnel. Patrol officers do not have direct access to the ALPR platform. Only authorized personnel may conduct searches, and every search performed within the previous 30 days is subject to audit. RTCC and Fusion Center personnel are also audited quarterly for compliance with department policy.

Data Retention

Plate read data and audit logs are retained for a rolling 30-day period before being automatically deleted unless otherwise required by law.

Public Safety Impact

Between January and May 2026, RTCC personnel have credited ALPR technology with assisting in 345 criminal investigations and public safety cases, including:

• 106 stolen vehicle investigations
• 43 missing person investigations 

What It Is

The Mesa Police Department's Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) network consists of several types of cameras positioned throughout the city to support officer safety, improve situational awareness, assist investigations, and help protect public facilities and spaces. These cameras are coordinated through the RTCC and serve different operational purposes depending on their location.

Types of Cameras

Park Cameras
Installed at city parks to improve safety and help protect public recreational spaces that experience higher levels of criminal activity.

Overt Camera Trailers
Solar-powered, clearly marked camera trailers deployed temporarily in areas experiencing identified crime trends to provide a visible deterrent and additional situational awareness. These trailers are typically not placed in residential areas; in limited circumstances tied to a specific crime trend, placement in a residential area may be approved by higher levels of the chain of command.

Traffic Cameras
Mounted on existing transportation signal poles to provide live views of roadways, parking lots, and business frontages during traffic incidents, pursuits, and calls for service.

Fixed Cameras
Installed on City of Mesa and Mesa Police Department buildings to provide continuous coverage of department and municipal property.

How We Use It

The CCTV network helps RTCC personnel support responding officers by providing live situational awareness during calls for service, monitoring incidents occurring on or near public property, protecting municipal facilities, and supporting criminal investigations when appropriate.

Privacy Protections

Privacy protections are built directly into the technology. Traffic cameras that could otherwise view residential property use automatic privacy masking that permanently blurs or pixelates residential areas before they are visible to an operator. This allows operators to monitor roads, parking lots, and businesses without capturing usable video of private residences.

Who Can Access the Cameras

Access is intentionally limited. Only RTCC personnel and Police Department IT staff may control or reposition cameras. A limited number of detectives have view-only access to assist active investigations. No other department personnel or outside agencies have access to this camera network.

Video Retention

Traffic camera footage is retained for 18 days. Footage from fixed cameras, park cameras, and overt camera trailers is retained for 30 days before being automatically overwritten unless preserved as evidence in an active investigation. 

What It Is

Drone as a First Responder (DFR) allows a drone to be launched to an active call for service, often arriving before responding officers. The drone provides a live aerial view that helps RTCC personnel and responding officers better understand developing situations and improve officer safety.

How We Use It

DFR drones are launched only in response to an existing call for service. They are not used for general patrol or proactive surveillance. RTCC personnel monitor the live video feed and, when appropriate, may share it with officers responding to the incident.

Privacy Protections

While the drone is traveling to and from an incident, the camera is intentionally pointed forward rather than downward so it is not capturing video of residential property or other unintended locations along its flight path. Once the drone arrives at the incident, the camera is used only to support that specific call for service.

Program Development

Mesa PD intentionally implemented the DFR program gradually, beginning with a single deployment site. During the first full year of operation, every flight included a visual observer positioned on the rooftop where the drone was housed to provide an additional layer of safety while the program was evaluated.

Pilot Certification

Only RTCC personnel are authorized to operate DFR drones. Every drone pilot holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, the federal certification required to operate small unmanned aircraft on behalf of a public agency.

Maintenance & Safety

DFR drones are inspected and maintained several times each week to help ensure they remain safe, reliable, and ready for operational use.