A major setback for Guam Police- body cameras meant to boost transparency and accountability are now sidelined temporarily just month after hitting the streets. And the chief of police is taking full responsibility.

Body cameras were supposed to mark a new era of accountability for Guam Police. But just months after their launch, the program has been put on hold.  The law was signed in December 2023—authored by Senator Chris Barnett introduced this bill to handle a couple of issues with accountability and transparency adding not only do the body-worn cameras keep the officers who wear them accountable, but they also protect the officers and provide a documented record of their interactions with the public.

Cameras were rolled out this summer after training—durable, water-resistant, equipped with night vision—designed for patrol, highway, SWAT, and CID. Officers were required to activate them in nearly all public interactions, then dock them at the end of each shift to upload footage as evidence.

But as of Sunday, September 28, via a memo through GPD, Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio announced the program’s temporary suspension pending administrative procedures review. He said, "We received multiple requests for our operating procedures for the rules for the use of the body cameras from prosecutors and defense attorneys, and through that meeting they discovered that in Bill 37-57, on the very last page, it reads that GPD shall develop administrative rules and regulations pursuant to Chapter 9, 5 GCA."

Ignacio says GPD missed that requirement, adding, "We apparently had missed it. Unfortunately we missed it. I take full responsibility for that. It was the very last page and very last sentence. We missed that completely. And at the suggestion of the AG, we should temporarily pause the body-worn camera program."

That means GPD must now restart the process—this time, through formal administrative rulemaking. The chief added, "We are going to have to go through the whole rulemaking process now. So we have to take the rules that we have, our general order, and turn them into admin rules."

"It’s not going to happen overnight, it’s not going to happen in a week. It’s a whole different process."

The bottom line, Ignacio says, is making sure GPD is compliant with the law. But for Senator Barnett, the pause is deeply concerning. He commented, "This is very, very disappointing. Public Law 37-57 was signed almost two years ago. It has taken GPD two years to buy the cameras, draft the orders, and finally get them on our hardworking officers. To suffer this kind of setback so late in implementation—it’s disturbing."

He says responsibility now rests squarely on the chief, as Barnett said, "I know Chief Ignacio said that he takes full responsibility—but I hope he understands his responsibility to get the rules and regs through as quickly and prudently as possible, so that we can continue with this long overdue policy."

For now, the body cameras are off—and the wait for transparency continues.