NH Considers Outfitting State Troopers with Body Cameras

New Hampshire state police never followed through on a plan to test body camera technology, despite having the equipment in hand earlier this year. The Concord Monitor reports the pilot program never happened, due in part to legal concerns over privacy and how the troopers would record and store the video footage. Amid a national debate over whether to equip law enforcement officers with body cameras, New Hampshire lawmakers are meeting this week to resume work on legislation that would require all state troopers to wear the technology and set statewide rules governing its use.

The Weare Police Department has been using body cameras for a year, and Chief Sean Kelly said the technology is an effective tool. The cameras cost about $400 each.

The department has a usage policy in place, modeled on language from the U.S. Department of Justice and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.