Updated Policy On Use Of Body Cameras By Camden County Police

By KYW's David Madden

(CAMDEN, NJ) --  Camden County has tweaked its policy on the use of body cameras by police officers in the city of Camden. They're taking the community's advice, along with a study from the NYU law school into account.

20 officers have the cameras now. By summer's end, every cop on the beat will have one. And the policy suggests when to turn them on and off.
Camden County Freeholder Director Lou Cappelli says the changes come in three specific areas. One involves expressing oneself.

"We're limiting the use of the camera at events like protests," Cappelli told KYW Newsradio. "Any event really where a citizen is expressing their First Amendment right, we're encouraging officers not to turn the cameras on."

Unless someone breaks the law.

Approach someone on the street for "law enforcement purposes", something more than a casual hello, turn it on. The third?

"We would turn the camera on just for a report of crime," Cappelli said. "The residents thought that it would be more accountable and more transparent if our officers turned the cameras on at any call for service."

The policy change takes effect immediately.