Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said Wednesday that nearly all police officers in the state will be wearing body cameras very soon.
“Today is good day for all Rhode Islanders, as we equip front-line police officers across the state with a helpful tool that will benefit them and the public by assisting critical fact finding and building community trust,” said Attorney General Neronha. “In an increasingly technological age, where judges, juries and the public expect to see the evidence on which they are to make decisions and render judgments, making body-worn cameras broadly available makes perfect sense. With today’s funding announcement, we have removed a substantial monetary barrier for many municipalities that continuously juggle critical priorities. This has been a collective effort, and I am grateful to everyone, including leaders in the General Assembly, the Governor, members of law enforcement, and our Congressional Delegation who have made today possible.”
Forty-two police departments in the Ocean State will benefit from 16-million dollars in grants to equip officers for five years and to pay for the system operation.
One single department that is not going along with the statewide initiative is Smithfield.
The cities of Providence, Newport, Warwick and the Rhode Island State Police already have body cameras online.
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