Some videos and pictures posted on social media in the days since last week s attack on the U.S. Capitol show police officers posing with some of those who broke into the building. But police chiefs on the Cape and Islands say that none of their personnel were in Washington on Jan. 6.
While some Capitol police officers, including Eugene Goodman and Brian Sicknick, who died during the riot inside the Capitol, have been hailed as heroes for their response to the incident, there have also been calls to investigate whether there was support for the insurrection from inside the Capitol building itself. There have also been questions about whether law enforcement officials from around the country were involved in the building s breach last week.
For the past two and a half years, Officer Daniel Girard would get ready for his 16-hour shift by putting on his uniform, protective vest and badge. He s also donned a new tool over the past few weeks that could help increase the department’s transparency and allow for further evidence a body camera.
The Mashpee Police Department implemented its body camera pilot program on Dec. 1. Officers who volunteered will wear body cameras during their shifts. After one year, the department will review the pilot program and decide whether to make body cameras permanent for all officers.
Mashpee is the first police department on the Cape to implement the use of body cameras.
MASHPEE Several confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been found among members of the Mashpee fire and police departments.
Three Mashpee Fire Department employees tested positive for the virus this week and five Police Department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 over the past two to three weeks, police and fire officials said.
A contingency plan is in place in case a major emergency hits the town. Fire stations at Joint Base Cape Cod, Cotuit, Falmouth and Sandwich have agreed to make sure Mashpee is properly staffed, Town Manager Glen Harrington said. .
“We will continue to do our due diligence to make sure mission services are not interrupted,” said Harrington.