North Shore police agencies met state deadline for body-worn cameras

In February 2021, Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted sweeping reforms to Illinois’ criminal-justice system by signing the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act into law. 

The measure expanded training mandates, altered sentencing policies and made Illinois the first U.S. state to outright abolish cash bail. It also amended the state’s existing Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act to require that all of Illinois’ more than 800 police departments use body cameras by January 1, 2025. 

More specifically, municipalities with populations under 50,000 people had until January 2025 to implement body cameras, while larger towns had earlier deadlines (January 2023: population 100,000-500,000; January 2022: population greater than 500,000).

The cameras have to be turned on at all times when an officer is in uniform and involved in any law enforcement-related encounter and the devices must be capable of recording for a period of 10 hours or more, though they may be turned off while an officer is inside a patrol car equipped with its own camera. 

“Ultimately, the uses of officer-worn body cameras will help collect evidence while improving transparency and accountability, and strengthening public trust,” the Illinois General Assembly wrote. 

Now that the SAFE-T Act’s deadline on body cameras has passed, The Record checked in with North Shore police departments if and when each agency became compliant with the mandate. 

Highland Park

The Highland Park Police Department began using body cameras in September 2022. Highland Park City Council approved a five-year, $760,240 contract with Axon Enterprises for a body camera system after the initiative was discussed as part of the police department’s four year strategic planning process. 

Highland Park community members also expressed interest in police officers utilizing body cameras following national discussions surrounding law enforcement engagement with communities of color in 2020, a city webpage says. 

“Body-worn cameras represent a significant investment in our Department’s ability to continue to build and maintain trust and engagement with our community, one of the Department’s core priorities,” Lou Jogmen, Highland Park’s chief of police, said in 2022.

Wilmette

Wilmette’s Police Department began implementing body cameras in February 2023. They were fully operational and assigned to all sworn officers in May 2023 and “have continued to be an excellent tool for the police department,” Mike Robinson, Wilmette’s chief of police, said in an email.

Winnetka

The Winnetka Police Department first issued body cameras in 2024 and all of its sworn personnel were compliant with the SAFE-T act as of Jan. 1, 2025, the department told The Record via email.

Glencoe

Glencoe Public Safety began implementing body cameras through a limited roll out in 2023 and all department officers were equipped with the devices by October 2023. 

Northfield

The Northfield Police Department began rolling out body cameras in late 2024 after developing a program for many months, Village Mayor Patrick Brennan said in an email. All of Northfield’s police officers are now equipped with the devices, including the chief when he is out of the building. 

“The team crafted a good use policy for the cameras and it sounds like the program has been working well thus far,” Brennan said.

Kenilworth

The Kenilworth Police Department began training officers with body cameras in March 2024; all full-time and part-time officers were fully trained by the end of October 2024 and the department was compliant of the SAFE-T Act as of Jan. 1, 2025. 

“To ensure a smooth transition, officers began wearing their assigned cameras ahead of the January deadline to incorporate their use into daily routines and to become proficient in accordance with both KPD policy and state statute,” Kenilworth Police Sgt. Don Silva said in an email. 

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