Nassau Legislature unanimously approves use of police body cameras

The body camera pilot program is slated to begin in September.

News 12 Staff

Jun 29, 2021, 3:02 AM

Updated 1,260 days ago

Share:

Police officers in Nassau County will soon be equipped with body cameras.
The Nassau Legislature unanimously approved the use of body cameras by police officers. The decision to roll out the cameras is being praised by both police reform advocates and police unions.
"It's a positive thing," says attorney Fred Brewington. "For them to have to wear body cameras as part of their uniforms brings them at least partly, into the 21st century."
There are questions too, though about how the body cameras will be used and what happens if they're not used properly. The Nassau County Police Department says the officers will be trained when to turn their cameras on and when to turn them off.
Brewington says more specifics are needed. He questions what discipline will happen if the cameras are not turned on or are not working.
Nassau PBA President James McDermott says, "The use of body cameras in Nassau County will only showcase the outstanding professionalism of Nassau County police officers and reaffirm to the public the dangers faced by our members as they continue to sacrifice their own health, safety, and well-being to ensure Nassau is the safest place to live in America."
The Nassau police commissioner says the department is working on policies and procedures and will release them to the public once it's completed.
The body camera pilot program is slated to begin in September.