Manchester Police Receive $155K Grant For Body-Worn Cameras

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township Police Department will receive a $154,888 grant for the purchase of body-worn cameras, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced.

Grewal announced the grant along with 486 other grants statewide for the body-worn cameras while appearing at the Camden County Police Department to mark the first day of the body-worn camera mandate for all officers statewide on Tuesday.

“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. “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 announcement means that 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.

Manchester's funding is for 76 cameras. Lakehurst received $32,608 for 16 cameras and neighboring Jackson Township will receive $273,092 for 134 cameras.

Statewide, 28,214 cameras will be purchased at a total cost of $57.5 million. The Attorney General’s Office is administering the grant program on a reimbursement basis. Agencies will be reimbursed at $2,038 per camera, which may be used for the purchase of cameras and equipment needed to operate them, and for the costs of storing footage from the cameras.

“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 Gov. Phil Murphy, who joined Grewal, Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, and federal, state and local officials at the 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.”

“This is a new day in policing for our state and our country and I want to thank Governor Murphy, Attorney General Grewal, and our legislators for proactively getting in front of the issue of implementing informed and effective policing practices,” said Oliver, who serves as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. “Body cameras are about supporting police officers, so they can do their job better. And we are immensely grateful for the job they do every day to keep us safe.”

In November, Murphy signed legislation that required ever uniformed patrol officer in the state to be outfitted with a body-worn camera while on duty by June 1, 2021. Read more: Gov. Murphy Signs Body Camera Mandates For All NJ Police Into Law

Before that, fewer than half the law enforcement agencies in the state had body-worn cameras. 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.

“Reimagining law enforcement is not an easy task, but through innovation, hard work and continuous review, Camden County Police Department officers have not only become a part of the fabric of our community, they have become a national model for community policing,” Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1) said. “I thank CCPD Chief Rodriguez for his commitment to our community and Governor Murphy for continuing the work we started in the NJ Senate and here in Camden by bringing body cameras to all uniformed NJ officers. Body cameras are truth-tellers, protecting police and the public alike, and this is the logical next step in improving the quality and transparency of law enforcement.”

Camden County Police Chief Gabe Rodriguez said the cameras have been "an invaluable tool," with the footage used for training. "It has made us a smarter and stronger organization through the analysis and our ability to deconstruct incidents from this footage. ... These cameras have become critical to our work and underscore our commitment and dedication to officer accountability.”

On May 25, Grewal issued a directive that set the foundation for the proper use of body-worn cameras throughout the state. The policy that 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.

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