Morristown police to begin wearing body cameras

Police in one northern New Jersey town are set to begin wearing body cameras.

Morristown Mayor Timothy Dougherty and Police Chief Peter Demnitz announced Tuesday that front-line uniformed police officers will begin using the cameras this week.

Dougherty said the cameras can help improve relations between police and the community and provide a factual account of interactions.

He said the town has been looking at using body cameras since 2012. But attending a roundtable event for urban mayors last September — sponsored by the mayors of Newark, Jersey City and Paterson — made Dougherty realize the cameras were a good fit.

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Morristown’s police department bought 40 of the cameras. They are integrated with existing video systems that are already in marked patrol cars.

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