Lower Township Police Department Deploys New Axon Body Worn Cameras

Beginning Monday, May 2, 2022, Lower Township Police officers will now be wearing new Axon body worn cameras (BWC).  Officers will be equipped with the Axon Body Cam 3 Wearable Body Cameras. Previously, the officers were wearing WatchGuard Vista BWCs that had reached the end of their 5-year life cycle.  A State of New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Grant, in the amount of $124,318, offset the cost of the new BWCs, hardware and necessary software.  The department will also replace its in-car video cameras (MVRs) in patrol vehicles with the Axon Fleet 3 system by the end of the year.  Police Officers will wear the new cameras in an area on their outer most layer of clothing that optimizes the best camera view achievable.    

A few features of the new Axon Body 3 cameras:

• Quickly adapts to changing light conditions while maintaining clarity
• Advanced audio algorithm focus with sound priority for evidentiary purposes
  utilizing multiple microphones
• Rapid recharge and offload (12 hour battery life)
• Real-time location tracking
• Live-stream video/audio capability
• LTE connection capability
• Rugged design that can withstand tough conditions (IP Rating of 67)
• Clear Frame Playback – reduced motion blur for clearer evidence during playback

The Lower Township Police Department’s use of body worn video camera technology remains a valuable tool in accurately documenting events, actions, conditions and statements, made during investigative stops, field interviews, arrests and critical incidents. It has been recognized that Body Worn Audio/Video Recording Devices may provide an accurate and unbiased recorded account of an incident, as well as being an effective tool to reduce the number of unwarranted civilian complaints against police officers, to increase law enforcement transparency and as a tool for de-escalation between police and members of the community.  As such, BWCs have gained wide support among the public and law enforcement, alike.

The use of the BWCs will strictly adhere to the guidelines and directives issued by the New Jersey Attorney General and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, as well as specifically tailored policies, based on industry best practices, set by the Lower Township Police Department.

Lower Township Police Department Deploys Body Worn Cameras

Beginning Wednesday, June 28, 2017, Lower Township Police officers will be wearing body worn cameras on patrol. In addition to having in-car video cameras in their patrol vehicles, officers will be equipped with the WatchGuard Vista Wearable Body Camera. It functions as a camera and DVR combination to collect video and audio evidence.  Police Officers will wear the camera near or at the center of their chest, on the outer most layer of clothing. 

The Lower Township Police Department’s use of body worn video camera technology will be a valuable tool in accurately documenting events, actions, conditions and statements, made during investigative stops, field interviews, arrests and critical incidents. Body cameras are a valuable asset intended to assist department officers in the prosecution of certain offenders by augmenting an officer’s testimony with a video/audio record of the incident. Although it doesn’t capture everything the officer sees, it will be beneficial for court and will document a clearer picture of what happened during an incident. The use of the cameras increases transparency and also provides an opportunity to capture the good work that the police officers do on a daily basis.  Additionally, this equipment will enable department administrators to conduct periodic reviews of officer-citizen contacts, for quality control purposes and will aid in the investigation of citizen complaints.

The use of the body worn cameras will follow the guidelines issued by the New Jersey Attorney General and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, along with the policies set by the Lower Township Police Dept.