Hamilton has announced the launch of their police body camera program, which officially began on Nov. 1.
The cameras will be activated by officers while on assignments when they are interacting with the public. There are several exceptions where officers will not activate the camera, including at schools, places of worship, healthcare facilities and court.
“Body cameras will protect both our police officers and our residents, building even further upon the high level of cooperation that already exists between our law-abiding citizens and our police division,” Mayor Kelly Yaede said.
Earlier this year, Hamilton began a five-year contract with TASER Axon for 120 police body cameras, equipment and cloud-based storage services.
A $60,000 Attorney General Body Worn Camera Grant received from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office helped to fund the purchase of Hamilton’s body cameras, along with funding through the township’s capital budget for long-term assets.
Last year, the township’s police division conducted a pilot-program to test three different body worn camera options, which were all under existing New Jersey State Contracts. The cameras Hamilton chose were the lowest cost option of the three alternatives and were recommended following the police division study.
“Our community has achieved two, consecutive, historically-low crime rates during the previous two years, which was achieved thanks to our dedicated police officers working in cooperation with our residents,” Yaede said. “Our new body-worn cameras will be another public safety tool that will help us continue to keep our town and our residents safe.”
Hamilton joins other Mercer County towns, including Ewing and Trenton, to implement the use of body cameras.
“The use of body worn cameras will provide valuable evidence for prosecutors,” Hamilton Police Chief James Collins said. “Officers wearing body worn cameras will adhere to the NJ Attorney General’s directive regarding activation and use of body worn cameras.”
A Hamilton police officer wearing the assigned body camera. (Photo courtesy Hamilton Township.),
