Princeton Officials Take Wait And See Approach On Police Body Cameras

PRINCETON, NJ — Although the Princeton Police Department has said it is open to outfitting its officers with body-worn cameras, a decision on the issue may not come from town council until next year.

While council did discuss the issue earlier this year when compiling its list of priorities and goals for 2017, it didn't make the final list, Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert said in an email to Patch on Tuesday.

Princeton Administrator Marc DaShield provided an update to council on several dozen projects the town decided it would tackle during Monday night's council meeting.

Princeton officials said this week that they want to see how the issue unfolds in towns that are using the cameras before deciding if they will do the same.

In 2015, the Princeton Police Department received a $15,000 grant to purchase 30 body cameras for their officers.

However, officials say it would cost between $200,000 and $250,000 to buy cameras and other equipment for the department.

The police department currently consists of 55 officers, according to Princeton Police Sgt. Fred Williams.

Lempert said that often with technology, the first round is expensive, and then the price drops. She also said the use of cameras would likely be an annual discussion among town officials.

In the summer of 2015, the Christie Administration announced a grant program that would make $2.5 million in grants available for local police departments to acquire body cameras on a voluntary basis. Later that year, the police department was one of several statewide that received grant money.

Even before the announcement of the grant money, the Princeton Police Department said it was open to outfitting its department with body-worn cameras, in 2014. At the time, council was said to be exploring the costs for the cameras, but was not close to making a decision.

Patch file photo