Essex County Cops Strap On Body Cameras

The Essex County Sheriff’s Office is now the first law enforcement agency in the county to require its patrol officers to wear mandatory body cameras.

On Tuesday, county and law enforcement officials announced the rollout of the new program, which took effect immediately.

The county currently has 40 cameras, with plans to purchase more as the initiative is evaluated and finances provide, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.

THE SPECS

According to the text of General Order 2015-07, the cameras are waterproof, high-definition models with a 130-degree, wide-angle view, an adjustable lens that rotates 28 degrees from any mounting position, and an ultra-wide, dynamic-range image sensor.

The cameras allow for nine hours of continuous HD recording on a single charge.

The $84,000 cost of the initial camera allotment and its supporting hardware and software came from funds seized in criminal forfeitures, according to Fontoura.

WHEN WILL THEY BE USED?

According to the general order, BWCs must be activated in any of the following situations:

• An investigative detention such as a traffic stop, criminal suspicion stop, checkpoint or roadblock stop
• Responding to a call for service and the officer is at or near the location of the incident
• Providing aid and/or assistance to a motorist or conducting a community caretaking check
• Conducting a custodial interrogation of a suspect, unless the interrogation is being recorded as per NJ Court Rule 3:17 Electronic Recordation
• Effecting an arrest
• Conducting a protective frisk for weapons or any kind of search: consensual or otherwise
• Engaging in a police response to any type of civil disobedience in which the officer is engaged with or in the presence of civilians and the officer or any other officer may be required to utilize constructive authority or force
• The use of constructive authority or force, or the belief that constructive authority or force may be used
• Transportation of the arrestee to the Department, county jail, any other place of confinement/detention, or hospital, or other medical care/health facility
• The belief that any other officer on the scene has taken or is about to take any of the aforementioned circumstances

However, officers will be allowed – and sometimes required - to switch off the BWC in certain situations:

• A person will not provide or cooperate with the officer unless the request for the BWC to be turned off is granted
• When a person, other than the arrestee, seeks emergency medical services for themselves or another
• The BWC equipped officer is participating in a discussion pertaining to the criminal investigation strategy and planning such as what questions to pose to suspect and/or witness, whether to request permission for K-9 search, whether to apply for search warrant, whether to request permission for consent search or conduct any other warrantless search
• When authorized to do so by an assistant prosecutor or assistant or deputy attorney general
• If the officer enters a school, youth facility, hospital or health care facility, or a place of worship
• If it is reasonably believed that the BWC would capture the image of an undercover officer or a confidential informant
• In a courtroom during court proceedings
• While using an electronic alcohol breath testing device

OTHER RULES

• BWCs must be fastened to the button placket on the officer’s uniform shirt in the chest/sternum area
• All members that are assigned a BWC shall complete in-service training on the proper use and functionality of the BWC and its software program
• The retention period for BWC recording shall not be less than ninety (90) days
• Copies of any BWC recording shall not be made, unless for evidentiary purposes and/or comply with any other legal obligation (OPRA, subpoena, court order)

Photo caption: Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, at podium, announces that his department’s patrol officers will be wearing body cameras. Pictured from left, Freeholder Lebby Jones, Bishop Jethro James, Sheriff Armando Fontoura, Pastor Ronald Slaughter, Prosecutor Carolyn Murray, County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Reverend Ron Christian.