New Jersey troopers are getting body cameras; local police to have policies

BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS Police cameras have been growing in use across the country after high-profile, police-involved deaths, such as the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

The administration also announced a grant program to provide $2.5 million in funding for local police departments to acquire body cameras on a voluntary basis.

“Public confidence in our police officers is absolutely, positively vital”, Hoffman said at news conference in Trenton, flanked by local police chiefs, county prosecutors, members of the clergy and African American community leaders. That number is expected to rise as a result of a 2014 law that requires that police cars have dashboard cameras or officers to have body-mounted cameras.

About 30 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey are using cameras to some degree already. “Body cameras will act as an objective witness in police-involved shootings and other use-of-force incidents”, Hoffman said, “so that truth rules the day, not emotions, not agendas and not personal bias”. They said the cameras would cost about $6,500 per squad auto and under a $1,000 for body cameras.

The NJSP will buy 1,000 or so body cameras so that all troopers on the road at any given time will have one in operation, he said.

New Jersey is among the first states with plans to put them on all state troopers. Body cameras cost less and have more versatility. “Those recordings have immeasurably improved our ability to supervise and have been widely used during post-stop investigations. We are now developing division protocols for the use of body worn cameras by our uniformed members with input from our unions and guidance from Acting Attorney General Hoffman’s directive”, said Col. Rick Fuentes. Aseltine said the state also plans to use $2.5 million in forfeiture funds to help local police buy the cameras. Local police departments and county prosecutors’ offices would not be allowed to be part of an investigation if they find a conflict of interest.

Each county has a cap, however: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties will be capped at $150,000 each.

A new South Carolina law requires all police officers to have them.