All NJ Troopers to Get Body Cameras Within a Year

TRENTON (AP) —

New Jersey plans to be among the first states to put body cameras on all state troopers who work in the field and is issuing guidelines on how local police forces statewide should use the devices.

Acting Attorney General John Hoffman, who outlined the plans Tuesday, also announced $2.5 million in state funding to help local police departments buy body cameras.

“The way to maintain mutual respect and trust between law enforcement and our communities is through accountability of police and civilians alike,” Hoffman said.

The use of body cameras already was brewing as a hot topic before a spate of high-profile shootings by police nationally during the past year. Civil rights groups and police officials generally support using them, though there’s no agreement on privacy, video retention and other issues.

The directive requires officers to have cameras on during certain types of interactions with the public but limits their use in homes, schools, hospitals and places of worship.

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