Should New Hampshire Police Officers Wear Body Cameras?

A government official in Portsmouth wants to equip the city's police department with body and car cameras. Here is where New Hampshire is at with this upgrade to law enforcement.

Transparency and accountability have been in the spotlight for police officers across the country.

Police brutality cases and fatal incidents involving police officers has lead many to call for cameras to be used at all times to keep law enforcement accountable. New Hampshire officials are also looking into equipping it's police force with these cameras.

Jim Splaine, Assistant Mayor of Portsmouth, has plans to propose body and car cameras for police officers in his city. The police department is trying to renew its image with transparency after recent troubles with one of their sergeants attempting to take an old woman's fortune.

This comes alongside efforts to equip all state police officers with cameras and regulate the use of the footage. Officers would have to let people know they are being recorded and would have to turn it off at their request. The footage would only be accessible by law enforcement.

Police departments across the state are seriously looking into this effort in transparency. The police department in Seabrook revisited their use of cameras after a police brutality incident was caught on tape and went viral. Weare police began using the body cameras after a deadly officer-involved shooting incident.

Law enforcement in the North Country are also using the cameras as lawmakers work on legislation.

For more information on body camera laws and pending legislation state-by-state, there is a comprehensive guide from the Urban Institute to look through.