Some New York legislators have proposed measures to equip state troopers with body cameras. New York is one of the few states where the state police don’t already have body or dashboard cameras.
Law enforcement experts credit patrol cameras as ways to increase transparency and hold officers and citizens accountable.
New York City Police finished a rollout of about 20,000 body cameras this year. Suffolk County Police were given money to purchase their DWI teams cameras last year.
But state police stopped using tape and later digital cameras on a limited number of vehicles when funding got tight. They’ve declined to detail what factors have prevented them from getting cameras.
The agency did not comment on the proposal but says body cameras are effective investigative tools.
New York State Police are the largest primary law enforcement agency not equipped with cameras. Hawaii, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts also don’t have them.
