Connecticut State Police are almost ready to roll out the remaining 150 body cameras still needed for the force. Authorities began the program a little over a year ago.
Trooper Tyler Weerden, with the Governor’s Security Unit, credits the program for clearing officers of wrongdoing and uncovering misconduct.
But he acknowledges there are some kinks.
“If you have a camera on your chest and you take off your seat belt or you are running and chasing someone, there is a chance that camera can fall off. We have seen that multiple times and that’s something that we are looking at as far as functionality and cost with maybe looking at a different vendor for that camera.”
Neighboring New York and Rhode Island are among five states whose primary state law enforcement agency do not have body cameras.
State Police are also turning to social media to recruit more minority and LGBT candidates, whose communities are underrepresented on the police force.
“Law enforcement, you have to evolve. You have to reflect with what your community is. You need to reflect on what your potential candidates are,” says Trooper First Class Kelly Grant, who works with the recruitment and selections unit for the state police.
Grant, a woman of color, says diversity within the police department will help troopers connect with communities that may be distrustful of law enforcement.
Weerden and Grant spoke on WSHU’s The Full Story.
