As reported in NJ.com, the Camden County Police Department has been testing body cameras for its officers for the past year, according to officials, with the chief hoping to acquire up to 100 cameras “as quickly as possible.”  According to Camden County spokesman Dan Keashen, the police department has tested cameras from three companies so far, including Taser International, whose recording devices are currently used by officers in Evesham Township.  The CCPD is expected to test cameras from a fourth company soon.

“We are working with State and the federal government for grant money, since it would be a significant cost to implement the cameras,” said Keashen.  He later added, “In the coming years, body cameras are something that every officer around the country will have, just like bulletproof vests and handcuffs.”

The Camden County police already boast a $4.5 million network of rotating cameras, gunshot-sensitive microphones and surveillance towers throughout the city.  Chief Scott Thomson has long been a proponent of body cameras, stating they could help protect both residents and officers.  However, speaking on Friday, he cautioned against viewing the budding technology as a cure-all for police-community relations.  “Officers wearing cameras is the future of policing as it better safeguards both the public and the officer’s safety,” said Thomson.  “However, we must manage expectations and realize that cameras are not the silver bullet that will instantly fix our current challenges.  They are a step in the right direction, but much more still needs to occur for police to regain the trust that’s been lost due to recent events.”

While the Chief gave no timeline or expected cost for the implementation of the body cameras in Camden, he stated the Department hopes to begin using them department-wide as soon as possible.  “Cameras and their data storage are a significant investment of tax dollars, so we have been researching, testing, and evaluating different companies for the best product that is compatible with our existing IT infrastructure,” he said.  “We also want the most current technologies that deliver superior clarity and enhanced accountability such as GPS markings and remote activation.”

Tags: body cameras, Camden County, Camden County Police Department, Camden Police, NJ Police, NJ Public Safety Officers
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Photo of Donald C. Barbati Donald C. Barbati

Donald C. Barbati is a shareholder of Crivelli, Barbati & DeRose, L.L.C. His primary practice revolves around the representation of numerous public employee labor unions in various capacities to include contract negotiation, unfair labor practice litigation, contract grievance arbitration, and other diverse issues…

Donald C. Barbati is a shareholder of Crivelli, Barbati & DeRose, L.L.C. His primary practice revolves around the representation of numerous public employee labor unions in various capacities to include contract negotiation, unfair labor practice litigation, contract grievance arbitration, and other diverse issues litigated before the courts and administrative tribunals throughout the State of New Jersey. In addition, Mr. Barbati also routinely represents individuals in various types of public pension appeals, real estate transactions, and general litigation matters. He is a frequent contributor to the New Jersey Public Safety Officers Law Blog, a free legal publication designed to keep New Jersey public safety officers up-to-date and informed about legal issues pertinent to their profession. During his years of practice, Mr. Barbati has established a reputation for achieving favorable results for his clients in a cost-efficient manner.

Mr. Barbati has also handled numerous novel legal issues while representing New Jersey Public Safety Officers. Most notably, he served as lead counsel for the Appellants in the published case In re Rodriguez, 423 N.J. Super. 440 (App. Div. 2011). In that case, Mr. Barbati successfully argued on behalf of the Appellants, thereby overturning the Attorney General’s denial of counsel to two prison guards in a civil rights suit arising from an inmate assault. In the process, the Court clarified the standard to be utilized by the Attorney General in assessing whether a public employee is entitled to legal representation and mandated that reliance must be placed on up-to-date information.

Prior to becoming a practicing attorney, Mr. Barbati served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Linda R. Feinberg, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Mercer Vicinage. During his clerkship Mr. Barbati handled numerous complex and novel substantive and procedural issues arising from complaints in lieu of prerogative writs, orders to show cause, and motion practice. These include appeals from decisions by planning and zoning boards and local government bodies, bidding challenges under the Local Public Contract Law, Open Public Records Act requests, the taking of private property under the eminent domain statute, and election law disputes. In addition, Mr. Barbati, as a certified mediator, mediated many small claims disputes in the Special Civil Part.

Mr. Barbati received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, magna cum laude, from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Upon graduating, Mr. Barbati attended Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2007, he received his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, graduating in the top five percent of his class. During law school, Mr. Barbati interned for the Honorable Joseph E. Irenas, Senior United States District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey, assisting on various constitutional, employment, and Third Circuit Court of Appeals litigation, including numerous civil rights, social security, and immigration cases.

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