Galloway Police Receive $122K Grant For Body-Worn Cameras

GALLOWAY, NJ — The Galloway Township Police Department will receive a $122,280 grant to purchase body-worn cameras, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced.

Galloway is among 487 law enforcement agencies statewide to receive this grant.

"As we work to strengthen trust between our officers and the diverse communities they serve, the need for accountability and transparency in policing has never been greater," Grewal said while appearing at the Camden County Police Department on Tuesday, to mark the first day of the body-worn camera mandate.

"Body cameras are a powerful tool to help us in these efforts. By acting as an unbiased witness to law enforcement actions, they help to safeguard equal justice, while also protecting the vast majority of officers who do the right thing day-in and day-out."

The state is funding all 487 law enforcement agencies that applied to the Attorney General's office for grant funding to purchase body-worn cameras and associated equipment.

Around $57.5 million has been spent statewide to purchase 28,214 cameras. The Attorney General's Office is administering the grant program on a reimbursement basis, with agencies receiving funding at $2,038 per camera. This amount may be used for the purchase of cameras and equipment needed to operate them, and toward the costs of storing footage.

"We are witnessing a new chapter in policing in New Jersey with the reforms we are implementing in partnership with law enforcement and community leaders. And, with the body cameras we are funding, we will literally have an objective witness to how police carry out their duties," said Murphy, who joined Grewal, Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, and federal, state and local officials at Tuesday's event.

"These powerful devices have been embraced by community members and advocates calling for transparency and by police officers, who see them as a critical tool to protect and assist law enforcement with their difficult jobs. On this important day, we're also happy to announce funding for all 487 agencies that applied for body-worn camera grants."

In November, Murphy signed legislation that required every uniformed patrol officer in the state to be outfitted with a body-worn camera while on duty by June 1, 2021.

Read more here: Gov. Murphy Signs Body Camera Mandates For All NJ Police Into Law

In December, Murphy signed a law appropriating $58 million for grants-in-aid to support the statewide body-worn camera program.

Many agencies are still working toward compliance, with the grant money announced on Tuesday meant to help them get there. The lag is due to a demand for the cameras, according to state officials.

On May 25, Grewal issued a directive that set the foundation for the proper use of body-worn cameras throughout the state. In addition to uniformed patrol officers, a broad range of officers engaged in additional functions should also be equipped with body cameras. This includes officers assigned to tactical teams, proactive enforcement teams, canine units, or duties involving regular interaction with the public.

The policy seeks to further strengthen transparency and public trust by recording a wider range of police-citizen encounters, particularly those with a greater likelihood to result in a use-of-force or internal affairs complaint, officials said.

A study conducted by the University of Cambridge in 2012 showed that the use of force by police officers wearing cameras fell by 59 percent from the previous year. Complaints against officers using body cameras fell by 87 percent.

With reporting by Anthony Bellano.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.