Cops In Newark, Jersey City And Paterson Getting Body Cameras
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Police in New Jersey's three largest cities will be getting body cameras to record their arrests.
Newark, Jersey City and Paterson are planning to go out to bid.
Paterson Mayor Joey Torres told The Record newspaper the agreement to make the purchase was made in September and was not related to the police shooting of an unarmed man in Ferguson, Missouri.
A grand jury's decision not to indict the officer led to rioting in Ferguson and protests around the country.
Torres said the cameras would protect both police officers and the public.
Jersey City Mayor Stephen Fulop said he intends all of his city's police officers to wear the cameras.
"Our view is that it is a service, not only to the community, but it's also an asset to the police officers who are wearing them," Fulop told 1010 WINS. "It's something that's going to be eventually, I think, adopted throughout police departments in this country so we want Jersey City and of course Paterson and Newark to be at the forefront."
Torres said Paterson might not be able to equip the entire police department.
In September, Gov. Chris Christie signed a law requiring all new police cars used for traffic stops in the state be equipped with cameras.
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