Governor Murphy Signs Senator Nia H. Gill Bill Regulating use of Body Cameras

MONTCLAIR— On November 24, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law S-
101, sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill (D-Essex/Passaic), which regulates

the use of body cameras worn by law enforcement officers. This law will
ensure the video and audio recording of law enforcement body cameras will
be activated whenever the officer responds to a call for service or at the
initiation of any other law enforcement investigative encounter between an
officer and a member of the public. The footage from the cameras will be
retained for at least three years.

These regulations will provide clear guidelines for law enforcement using
body cameras, allowing for consistency and reliability when footage is
needed and pulled. Private citizens and law enforcement both benefit from
transparency and accountability, especially when there questions over the
use of force. When the public cannot obtain answers when there are
accusations of impropriety or misuse of force, this erodes trust in public
institutions.

Fewer than half of the law enforcement agencies across the state equip all
of their officers with body cameras. Along with S-1163, which requires all
uniformed officers to wear body cameras, S-101 will allow police statewide
to equip their officers with body cameras and for the use of those cameras
to be standardized. This makes the requirements clear to protect both law
enforcement and those they are charged to protect.