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Paterson buying 269 bodycams to equip all police officers | Paterson Times

Paterson buying 269 bodycams to equip all police officers

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Mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration is purchasing 269 more bodycams – adding to the existing 150 already deployed – to equip all police officers.

Public safety director Jerry Speziale said the bodycams are being purchased to meet the state mandate for all police officers to wear bodycams.

“This will be to retrofit the entire department,” said Speziale. “Anybody that’s in an enforcement role [will be equipped with a bodycam].”

Latest purchase from Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Axon will bring the total number of bodycams to 419. Paterson is expected to have 415 police officers in the force by the end of this year.

Bodycams will cost the city $1.17 million over a four-year period. Speziale said the costs will be reimbursed through a state grant.

New Jersey Attorney General’s Office gave Paterson nearly $800,000 to equip officers with bodycams.

Paterson purchased 150 bodycams in January 2020, but Sayegh administration officials dragged their feet and did not fully deploy them until five months ago, costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

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