It s official. All police in Delaware will now have to wear body cameras.
Gov. John Carney on Wednesday signed the bill lawmakers passed in late June, largely thanks to police support.
The new law requires all officers to wear the cameras, along with a few related employees, such as Department of Correction probation officers and special investigators in the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.
Just before signing the bill in the conference room of the Delaware State Police Troop 2 building on Pulaski Highway in Glasgow, Carney promised the law would improve trust between law enforcement and their communities, particularly communities of color.
Delaware Requires All Police Officers to Wear Body Cameras
govtech.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from govtech.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
All police in Delaware now have to wear body cameras Here s what to know
msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tractor trailer fire shut south I-95 near Claymont
msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Veteran police leader endorses Delaware bill on transparency and accountability for cops Tom Thompson
Replay Video UP NEXT
Like most states, Delaware has struggled to effectively police violent crime during the pandemic. In Wilmington, the homicide clearance rate, or how many murders were solved, went down from 67% to 40%. Meanwhile, shootings increased by 50% in 2020.
But the pandemic is not the only difficulty facing those who fight violent crime. Victims and witnesses are reluctant to talk to law enforcement partly because they lack trust in the police to keep them safe. In 2013, a person shot at a group of Wilmington officers in broad daylight, wounding Delaware State Police Cpl. Richard Deskis. There were more than 20 witnesses at the scene, but no one came forward with information about the shooter, even after a substantial cash reward was offered.