BERLIN— New state rules have prompted two Connecticut police departments so far to stop their voluntary use of body cameras that officers have worn to record their dealings with the public.
The state Police Officer Standards Training Council passed a policy in November requiring departments to store body camera data for at least 90 days and retain any recording considered court evidence for at least four years.
The Hartford Courant reports Berlin Police Chief Paul Fitzgerald says he ended use of the cameras because the department doesn’t have the equipment or manpower to store data and edit it to get requested information.
Putnam Police Chief Rick Hayes says he made the same decision for the same reasons. Hayes says storage could cost Putnam Police about $40,000 to $50,000 annually.
