New High-Tech Body-Cams Rolled Out By NRPD Hit The Streets

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Police Department will join the largest law enforcement agencies in the Hudson Valley in introducing new high-tech body-cams on the city streets.

The New Rochelle Police Department has already started a roll-out of the body-worn cameras. More than 80 officers are now trained and equipped with the cameras. Body-worn cameras will eventually be worn by all New Rochelle Police officers, detectives and supervisors who are assigned to street duty.

"In addition to their valuable use for evidence, training, and crime scene investigation, the cameras will provide a greater level of transparency during officer and community interactions," NRPD officials said in a statement announcing the initiative. "Once activated by the officer, the [body worn camera] will record both audio and video. The data captured by the camera will then be catalogued, and stored according to established New York State retention timelines."

New Rochelle received grants from both New York State Assemblyman Steve Otis and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s offices to help defray some of the costs associated with the purchase of the equipment. New Rochelle now joins police departments in Yonkers and White Plains, along with Westchester County already using the tech.

By the end of next year, the department says it will have upgraded its existing police car dashboard camera program. The upgrade will add dash cam models that will work in conjunction with the body-worn cameras, police officals said. Those models will sync with the body cams and will start recording the moment overhead lights on the patrol cars are activated.