New Haven Police Close to Outfitting Officers With Body Cameras

Val Jean-Ashe from New Haven is concerned about the number of police shootings making national headlines.

“There’s been too many instances where people have been killed for no reason at all and I think the body camera not only helps the police, but it helps the person that’s involved in the altercation," she said.

Jean-Ashe is pleased to learn the 452 police officers in her city will be outfitted with body cameras in 2017.

“Me personally, I would love it, the earlier the better,” New Haven Police Department interim chief Anthony Campbell said.

Chief Campbell's target date for officers to start wearing body cameras has been pushed back while the city applies for state funding.

“There’s a grant out there that would allow us to buy the cameras and get 100 percent reimbursement," Campbell said, "we want to take advantage of that.”

The city will use the reimbursed money, which is about half a million dollars, to set up a system to store and distribute the video to the public when requested, Campbell said.

New Haven Police Union President Craig Miller said a majority of members support the move to wear body cameras

"You have accusations brought up against you and then when you have something on camera instead of someone else’s cell phone you getting the true story instead of their side of the story which they can manipulate the filming,” Miller said.

The union and police administration are in talks on establishing protocols for how an dwhen officers would be required to use them.

“There’s certain laws and statutes that say can’t use it with children, can’t use it with sexual assault victims, etc.,” Campbell said.

For a department that prides itself on community policing, Campbell said body cameras will improve transparency and build better trust with residents.

“Far too often the civilians or community members feel like well the police officer’s word is going to be taken over mine," he said, "whereas you have a body camera, it levels the playing field."

Mayor Toni Harp said she hope the city sets up a large enough video storage system that other police departments may use it as well.

Neighboring police departments such as Hamden, East Haven and Yale are already utilizing body cameras.