SEATTLE — The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and the Washington Officials Association (WOA) are launching a pilot program using body cameras to help curb unsportsmanlike behavior during high school basketball games.
According to the organizations, approximately 100 WOA basketball officials across the state began wearing body cameras on Jan. 5. The bodycams are meant to address ongoing issues with “bad behavior, a high volume of ejections and concerns over the safety of officials.”
Usage of bodycams began with basketball officials but will continue with soccer, baseball and fastpitch officials for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.
The organizations laid out the protocol for the bodycams, stipulating three triggers for activation. The first trigger is unsportsmanlike technical fouls, the second is an event that creates an unsafe or dangerous environment for the officials and the third trigger is discriminatory or harassing behavior that causes a stoppage in play or delays.
Officials would keep the bodycam activated until any of the situations had been resolved before deactivating.
The organizations said the cameras are encrypted and the footage would only be accessible by Todd Stordahl with WOA and Justin Kesterson with WIAA.
The WIAA and WOA said they will evaluate the usage of bodycams throughout the trial period and will have a final review after the season.
The Peninsula School District confirmed one official for the girls basketball rivalry game on Wednesday was wearing a bodycam. The school district said districts are not involved in any decision making regarding the use of bodycams.
