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“Implemented properly, body-worn camera programs can be an important tool for building positive relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” said Pascrell (D-NJ0 hte co-chairman of the House Law Enforcement Caucus.
“One holdup in body worn camera program implementation nationwide has been lack of funding," he added.
However, Pascrell said, the federal government "is stepping in to assist with these funding gaps for communities with limited resources like Haledon. I commend Haledon for putting together a successful grant application.”
The Haledon grant came through the Body Worn Camera Small Agency Policy and Implementation program, designed to help agencies develop, implement, and evaluate the tools as part of a "comprehensive problem-solving approach to enhance officer interactions with the public and build community trust," he said.
News of the federal grant comes less than a week after New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino said his office will distribute more than $500,000 to law enforcement agencies across the state to buy the cameras.
It was his office's second round of funding, atop $2.5 million distributed last year.
"Every picture tells a story, and ultimately body cameras tell a story of better police-community relations," Porrino said.
Altogether, an estimated 200 of the 500 or so law enforcement agencies in the state have the technology.
The nonpartisan federal Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimated that it would cost $88.5 million the first year to outfit the more than 35,000 local, county and state police officers throughout New Jersey with the cameras -- along with the necessary technological support.
Data storage costs have been the biggest concern for local departments.
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