Pennsylvania State Police troopers who serve the Philadelphia area have been outfitted with body-worn camera -- and their vehicles have been equipped with mobile video recorders -- officials with the state police announced on Monday.
Officials said the move was done ahead of schedule.
On Monday, law enforcement officials announced that Troop K -- the Pennsylvania State Police barracks that serve Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery counties -- are now outfitted with body-worn cameras and their patrol vehicles are now equipped with updated video recorders.
“This is pivotal step forward in enhancing transparency and accountability within our law enforcement agencies,” State Representative Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, said in a statement. “The commitment fulfilled by the Pennsylvania State Police to equip all officers of Troop K with body cameras is not just a response to a single incident; it is a response to the call from our communities for greater oversight and trust. These cameras are a vital tool in protecting both our citizens and our officers, providing clear and objective accounts of interactions. I commend Governor Shapiro and the Pennsylvania State Police for their leadership and dedication to this crucial initiative. Together, we are building a foundation for safer and more just communities across our Commonwealth.”
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Officials said that, so far, state troopers who cover 19 of the state's 67 counties have successfully implemented body-worn cameras.
State police officials said that they expect to have fully implemented body-worn cameras and updated mobile video recorders for all troopers by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
“The Pennsylvania State Police is committed to increasing the public’s trust in law enforcement, and these cameras are an important part of that,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, in a statement. “The use of body-worn cameras demonstrates our commitment to ensuring police interactions are respectful and constitutional. The cameras also provide concise capture of evidence in criminal cases and enhance our training opportunities.”
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According to officials with the state police, the new video recording equipment in patrol vehicles will provide "a wider view of events" than the cameras that patrol vehicles have had, which only show incidents that happen in front of the vehicle.
Also, the body-worn cameras, officials said, will be able to record public encounters with troopers, even when a trooper is away from their vehicle.
The state police began to roll-out body-worn cameras last year. So far, stations in troops A, B, G, H, and K have implemented body-worn cameras, according to police officials.
This, officials said, includes all stations covering Adams, Allegheny, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Mifflin, Montgomery, Perry, Philadelphia, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
The department entered into a five-year contract, with an option for renewals, with Arizona-based Axon to provide the cameras, as well as the necessary software and infrastructure.
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