Wilkes-Barre testing body cameras for police

WILKES-BARRE — The search for the right body camera for city police officers continues, with one model already tested.

Tests of two other models will be conducted and the city will select the one that best suits the needs of the department, Mayor George Brown said Monday.

“I want to do this the right way,” Brown said.

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department received quotes from three vendors as part of the selection process to equip every officer with a camera, Brown said. A dedicated server has been purchased to store the information from the cameras.

“We met with all three,” Brown said. “Now what we’re doing is we’ll try them out.”

There is no definite date for the cameras to go into service, but Brown and Police Chief Joseph Coffay would like to see them in place as soon as possible.

Brown said funding is available for the purchase. The exact cost is still to be determined based on the choice of camera, the number of units purchased and type of storage. Also being developed are policies and procedures for the use and access of the cameras.

In June, Brown announced his administration was looking into the purchase of cameras for the more than 80-member department, a move that was backed by the police union, the Wilkes-Barre Police Benevolent Association.

The cameras would provide protection and enhance transparency for the officers as departments have come under increased scrutiny and criticism nationally with the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while in custody of the Minneapolis police.

Calls for police reform accompanied Black Lives Matter-organized protests. However, Wilkes-Barre City Council opposed legislation introduced by councilwoman Beth Gilbert McBride that would have created a Citizen Police Review Board to investigate alleged police misconduct. McBride held off introducing an anti-racial profiling ordinance due to lack of support.

Brown has been moving forward with the creation of his Wilkes-Barre Police Advisory Committee to improve community relations. The mayor said the committee does not require the approval of council.