Whitehall police to get body cameras by the end of the year

Whitehall police may soon add another piece of technology to the department.

Deputy Chief Jason Gagorik said the department is in the process of acquiring 20 WatchGuard Video body cameras for its 20 officers, including Gagorik and Chief Keith Henderson.

The department already has car cameras from the Texas-based company.

Gagorik called the acquisition of the body cameras “a natural expansion” of what the department’s already done with technology.

“The Whitehall Borough Police Department has always been cognizant of the changing needs in policing, especially when it comes to technology,” Gagorik said. “That’s been the driving force behind the body-worn camera program. Having our officers deployed with cameras in the field is nothing new.

“Whitehall was one of the first South Hills police agencies to embrace the use of police in-car camera systems in the 1990s. Currently, we are on the third generation of in-car camera technology, and the new body-worn cameras are just a natural expansion of this time-proven resource.”

The new cameras would integrate with the department’s current car camera system, allowing footage to be viewed simultaneously.

Gagorik said the body cameras also will increase police accountability and transparency. Officers currently do not have body cameras.

The borough is still in the development stage of its body camera policy. It’s unclear when it would be finalized and adopted.

“Before being issued body-worn cameras, officers will have to undergo extensive training on their use as well as the department’s policy on when and how they should be deployed,” Gagorik explained.

Gagorik said the future policy includes input from the Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure it’s up to date with current laws.

“I don’t see any downside to adding this,” Mayor Jim Nowalk said about the body cameras. “We have an excellent police department. I have great confidence in everyone. They train well. They perform well. I see this as an aid when they get back to the station after responding to an incident. They make a report and if they need to refer to the camera you could in writing up the report. I see it as a positive.”

Nowalk said borough code indicates the mayor’s office would approve police policy, and the body camera regulations do not need to go before council.

“I think we’re fully supportive of body-worn cameras,” Nowalk said. “We aspire to be the best that we can be, and this is something that will help us in terms of our policing.”

Officials plan to pay for the cameras with help from a matching $20,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The department is in the final stage of the grant approval process. Nowalk said the borough has the matching funds.