The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) will begin testing body cameras for state parole agents in Erie this summer, making the Erie District Office the first pilot location for the new technology.
The phased rollout is expected to begin in June 2026. PADOC officials stated the cameras are intended to improve officer and public safety, increase accountability and transparency, and provide parole agents with better tools for field operations and evidence documentation.
The effort follows the passage of Act 53 in December 2023, which amended Pennsylvania’s wiretap law and authorized state parole agents to wear body cameras.
According to PADOC, the department began exploring body camera options in 2024 by developing and releasing a request for proposal (RFP). The RFP closed in early 2025, followed by product demonstrations and evaluations during the vendor selection process. The contract was awarded in early 2026.
Erie will be the first test site to evaluate network capability and overall system performance. After the initial review, the pilot program is expected to expand to three more district offices, with one selected from each geographic region of Pennsylvania.
Those additional sites will help the department review operational policies, technology performance, training needs and consistency across regions before a broader statewide rollout is considered.